Amy Khor: SCDF conducted 10 inspections, issued four fire hazard abatement notices to Kranji warehouse

SINGAPORE: Since 2021, the National Environment Agency (NEA) has conducted six inspections of the warehouse at 11 Kranji Crescent, while the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) carried out 10 inspections between 2018 and 2024, according to Senior Minister of State for Sustainability and the Environment, Dr Amy Khor. Speaking in Parliament on 6 March, Dr Khor revealed that four fire hazard abatement notices—warnings requiring building owners to rectify fire safety non-compliance—had been issued to the facility. Additionally, it received three notices of offence for various violations. However, she stated that "all these were actually rectified." Dr Khor also noted that NEA regularly sent advisories to the facility, reminding it to remain aware of fire safety risks and to continuously review its fire safety measures to ensure they were relevant and adequate. She was responding to a supplementary question from Non-Constituency Member of Parliament Hazel Poa, who inquired whether NEA tracks the types of materials stored by recycling companies in their warehouses and whether the agency ensures that fire safety violations are rectified to prevent such incidents. The warehouse, which caught fire on 19 February, burned for four days before being fully extinguished on 23 February. Firefighters battled the blaze for hours, and smoke was visible from areas including Jurong East, Bukit Panjang, Woodlands, and the Causeway. Poa had filed a parliamentary question asking whether NEA had information on the types of waste materials stored at the warehouse and whether the fire had exposed nearby residents to toxic pollutants. In response, Dr Khor assured that air quality in western Singapore remained within the normal range throughout the four-day fire. The warehouse, operated by recycling and waste management firm Wah & Hua, is licensed to receive industrial and commercial waste for sorting prior to recycling and disposal. It stored materials such as paper, plastics, glass, scrap metal, wood waste, and e-waste. However, Dr Khor clarified that the facility is not licensed to store toxic industrial waste or hazardous substances and is located approximately 2 km from the nearest residential area. The fire was the fourth incident at the warehouse in seven years, with previous fires occurring in 2018, 2023, and 2024. Investigations by NEA and SCDF are ongoing to determine whether the facility adhered to relevant licensing and fire safety regulations. On 21 February, the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) ordered the facility’s owner to close off access to affected structures after determining that the metal roof of a single-storey warehouse and part of a two-storey office building had collapsed due to fire damage. SCDF previously revealed that the warehouse had been cited seven times for fire safety violations between 2018 and 2024. It received three notices of offence for serious breaches, including unauthorised fire safety works involving the construction of a steel platform. Such notices can result in fines of up to S$5,000 if rectified. However, failure to comply may lead to prosecution, with penalties of up to S$200,000, a maximum jail term of 24 months, or both upon conviction.

CEO’s political affiliations spark discussion

The fire and the facility’s history of safety breaches have drawn attention to Wah & Hua’s CEO, Melissa Tan, who has been a People’s Action Party (PAP) volunteer for nearly two decades. She became active in the party’s Fengshan ward in late 2023 after previously volunteering in Hong Kah North, which is represented by Dr Khor. Tan was first observed at a PAP outreach event in Fengshan last November, where she distributed PAP-branded teddy bears alongside MP Cheryl Chan. Since then, she has been actively involved in community engagements and was recently seen with all five East Coast GRC MPs at the Chingay parade in the heartlands. Under Tan’s leadership, Wah & Hua sold a majority stake to integrated waste management firm Blue Planet Environmental Solutions and entered a joint venture with environmental and energy company China Tianying to develop a waste-to-energy plant. The warehouse fire and its history of safety violations have raised concerns, particularly amid speculation that Tan may be a potential PAP candidate in the upcoming elections.