SCDF scales down operations at Kranji warehouse fire site after four days

The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) has scaled down its firefighting operations at 11 Kranji Crescent after working for four days to extinguish deep-seated pockets of fire within waste heaps.

In a Facebook update on 23 February, SCDF confirmed that the fire, which started on 19 February, had been fully extinguished.

However, as a precautionary measure, a fire engine and crew will remain on-site to monitor the affected area. The site will also be progressively handed over to the premises owner for recovery operations.

SCDF first responded to the blaze on 19 February, deploying extensive resources, including six water jets, four unmanned firefighting machines, an unmanned aerial vehicle, and a combined platform ladder.

The fire led to the collapse of a metal roof in a single-storey warehouse and part of the roof of a two-storey office building.

Investigations by SCDF have determined that the fire was accidental, likely caused by smouldering embers or spontaneous ignition of waste materials.

The facility had previously been the site of two other fires—on 22 March 2018 and 20 June 2023.

The warehouse, occupied by recycling and waste management firm Wah & Hua, has been cited seven times for fire safety violations between 2018 and 2024.

These include three notices of offence for severe breaches, such as unauthorised fire safety works involving the erection of a steel platform.

Additionally, it received four fire hazard abatement notices for issues such as faulty exit signs and obstructions to emergency exits, hose reels, and fire extinguishers.

Following the fire, the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) instructed the premises owner to appoint a professional engineer to assess structural damage and recommend safety measures.

The warehouse is associated with Wah & Hua’s CEO, Melissa Tan, a long-time People's Action Party (PAP) volunteer who has been increasingly active in East Coast GRC.

She has been spotted at multiple community engagements alongside East Coast MPs, fuelling speculation about her potential candidacy in the upcoming elections.

Authorities have yet to comment on whether enforcement action will be taken following the latest fire.