100 Residents Self-Evacuate After Fire Breaks Out at Yishun HDB Block; 10 Conveyed to Hospital

By
Rachel Leong
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This morning (29 Jun), a fire broke out at 141 Yishun Ring Road, causing 100 residents to self-evacuate from their homes and to safety.

The Fire

And good thing they did, because this fire was pretty big. Stretching three floors, it affected units on the third, fourth, and fifth floors of the HDB block.

In a Facebook post uploaded by the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF), it said that the fire was limited to the master bedrooms of the affected units, but all three units sustained smoke damage.

Thankfully, the residents of the HDB block had the quick sense to evacuate even before SCDF came. About 100 residents living on the second to tenth floors of the block had swiftly vacated the area.

SCDF’s Arrival

Upon SCDF’s arrival, thick plumes of smoke could be seen from the windows of the affected units. Firefighters, equipped with breathing apparatus sets, went in to battle the blaze.

Three water jets were used to extinguish the massive fire. At what SCDF calls “the height of the firefighting operation”, an additional water jet was utilised to stamp out the fire, which was “leaping out from the bedroom windows”.

Several people took to social media to post photos and videos of the whole situation.

10 People Conveyed to Hospital

A total of ten people were sent to Singapore General Hospital (SGH) for smoke inhalation. This included a police officer.

Five off-duty SCDF personnel who happened to be nearby also stepped in to render their help in both the firefighting and medical operations.

The cause of fire is still under investigation, but some residents have offered up a possible explanation.

Residents Heard Exploding Sounds

Speaking to Lianhe Zaobao, some residents shared that they had heard three exploding sounds.

Apparently, the resident of the affected unit on the third floor had been praying in the morning when, according to her niece, lit camphor fell onto her bed.

However, the woman, who has dementia, did not realise that until her whole mattress was engulfed in flames. It was only then that she realised that a fire had broken out.

The fire, which had hence started at the third-floor unit, travelled upwards to the above floors. As it rose, it caused the air-conditioning units of the fourth- and fifth-floor units to explode—which probably caused the other two exploding noises heard by residents.

Thankfully, the resident of the third-floor unit was conscious when SCDF arrived. Nonetheless, she was conveyed to the hospital for excessive smoke inhalation.

Feature Image: Facebook (Singapore Civil Defence Force)

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Rachel Leong
Email: [email protected]