River Valley Road shophouse fire: 19 people, including 15 children, taken to hospital
Four adults and 15 children were taken to hospital after a fire broke out at a shophouse along River Valley Road. Members of the public helped rescue those trapped on a ledge before firefighters extinguished the blaze within 30 minutes.
SINGAPORE: Four adults and 15 children were taken to hospital after a fire broke out in a shophouse along River Valley Road on Tuesday (8 Apr), according to the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF).
SCDF said it was alerted to the incident at 278 River Valley Road at about 9.45am.
When firefighters arrived, the fire was raging on the second and third floors of the three-storey building.
"Several persons were on a ledge outside the third-floor unit," said SCDF in a Facebook post.
Members of the public, including construction workers, acted swiftly by using a metal scaffolding and a ladder to reach those stranded, managing to bring a number of them to safety.
SCDF personnel deployed rescue ladders and a combined platform ladder to retrieve the remaining individuals trapped on the ledge, while firefighters entered the building to combat the blaze on the upper floors.
The fire was brought under control and extinguished within 30 minutes using three water jets.
In total, about 80 people from the shophouse and nearby premises were evacuated by SCDF and police officers.
Nineteen casualties—comprising four adults and 15 children—were conveyed to hospital.
The cause of the fire is currently under investigation.
A video shared on Facebook showed thick black smoke pouring out of the third-floor windows.
Several individuals in high-visibility vests could be seen standing on scaffolding, reaching out to assist others who were perched precariously on a ledge just below the smoke-filled windows.
SCDF expressed its gratitude to those who stepped in to help.
"We would like to thank the members of the public who assisted in the rescue of the stranded persons for their quick actions and bravery," the post said.
