Home fires can be caused by many things.
Short circuits, electric bicycles, and more.
For this case that we’re going to talk about, it started with a bad habit.
Man in AMK HDB Flat Died From Fire
In Feb 2020, a 66-year-old man, Ng Swee Bock, who lived alone at Blk 123 Ang Mo Kio Ave 6 died in a fire that broke out in his home.
The incident happened on 13 Feb 2020, and the last his neighbours heard from him was him singing the night before.
The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) was alerted to the incident at 8.10am.
When SCDF officers arrived at the scene 4 minutes later, they had to force their way into the house.
The burning home was filled with smoke and Ng was found lying unconscious near the doorway.
He was sent to Tan Tock Seng Hospital and died at 1.55pm the same day.
According to an autopsy, his cause of death was certified as severe burn injuries with smoke inhalation.
He had sustained third-degree burns to his face and body, with 90 per cent of his body surface afflicted with burns.
It was also highlighted that there were no drugs found within his body that would’ve caused or led to his death.
Incident Could’ve Been Caused By Smoking In Bed
The SCDF found a pack of cigarettes near the burnt mattress in the living room.
Lighters were also found in a cabinet and on the table.
An ashtray filled with cigarette butts and opened beer cans were also discovered.
It was noted that no suicide letter or note was found in the home and Ng’s brother, as well as his neighbours, said he was a heavy smoker.
In its investigation report, SCDF says that the fire is likely to have been started by cigarette embers.
The fire and burn patterns indicate that it likely started from, or near the mattress, SCDF reported, and there was no sign of an electrical short circuit.
No alcohol was detected in Ng’s body so it cannot be confirmed if it has stopped Ng from detecting and escaping from the fire.
The door handle of the main door was found to be faulty.
In conclusion, SCDF says it’s likely that Ng smoked at, or near, the mattress.
When the fire started, Ng woke up but was hindered by the faulty door handle and the smoky environment in his escape.
The possibility of Ng falling asleep with a lit cigarette was also stated by State Coroner Kamala Ponnampalam.
Ng’s death was ruled as a case of misadventure.
Don’t Smoke In Bed
Should a home fire start, you should try to put it out if it’s small enough.
If not, try to flee from the home.
And if that’s impossible, barricade yourself in another room to slow the spread of smoke.
In the case of Ng, the coroner said he could’ve locked himself in the toilet.
Of course, you should try not to smoke in bed as there is a possibility that you might fall asleep with a lighted cigarette in your hand, the coroner said.
And if you have to smoke at home, make sure to extinguish your cigarette butts completely because cigarette embers can start fires.
Remember, smoking is hazardous to your health, and not just in the long run.
Feature Image: rakimm / Shutterstock.com
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