A dry rising main malfunctioned while firefighters were battling a fatal fire at an HDB flat in Clementi on 31 July 2026, resulting in reduced water pressure during the operation.
The Singapore Civil Defence Force said the problem prevented water from being charged effectively to the affected floor.
Firefighters responded by running hoses directly from a fire engine at ground level up to the eighth floor through the staircase.
Firefighters Had to Use a Contingency Method
The fire broke out in an eighth-floor unit at Block 309 Clementi Avenue 4 at about 11:10pm.
SCDF encountered problems while attempting to use the building’s dry rising main.
The malfunction reduced the available water pressure, which meant water could not be effectively pumped through the system to the eighth floor.
Firefighters immediately set up a hose line directly from the fire engine to the affected floor through the staircase.
SCDF said this was a contingency method that its firefighters regularly practised during routine drills.
Despite the difficulties, the fire was eventually extinguished using two water jets.
What Is a Dry Rising Main?
A dry rising main is a vertical pipe installed inside a building for firefighting.
Under SCDF’s Fire Code, the pipe is normally empty. During a fire, firefighters connect a fire engine to an inlet at ground level and pump water through the pipe.
Firefighters can then connect their hoses to valves on the different floors.
This allows them to obtain water closer to the affected unit instead of relying entirely on hoses running from ground level.
Dry rising mains are generally installed in buildings with a habitable height of more than 10m but not exceeding 60m. Taller buildings require wet rising mains, which are permanently filled with water.
Town Council Says a Coupling Became Dislodged
In a media reply cited by The Straits Times, Holland-Bukit Panjang Town Council said its preliminary assessment found that a coupling securing part of the dry rising main had become dislodged during the firefighting operation.
The town council has since repaired the coupling.
SCDF tested the system on the morning of 2 August, while further tests were scheduled to ensure that it was fully operational.
The town council said it would also conduct precautionary checks on dry rising mains at other blocks under its management.
According to the town council, the system at Block 309 was last serviced and pressure tested on 14 March 2026 and was found to be in order.
It added that dry rising main systems are serviced every six months and undergo pressure testing once a year.
SCDF is investigating the incident, while the town council said it was cooperating fully with the investigation.
One Resident Died and Two Firefighters Were Injured
When firefighters arrived, the living room of the flat was engulfed in flames.
They had to force their way into the unit and later found its occupant trapped in the kitchen.
The person was rescued in an unconscious state and taken to Ng Teng Fong General Hospital, but later died.
Two firefighters suffered burn injuries during the operation and were taken to Singapore General Hospital. SCDF subsequently said that one of them had been discharged and was resting at home.
About 40 residents were also evacuated from the block as a precaution.
The fire involved items in the living room. Its cause remains under investigation.
