2 Firefighters Conveyed to Hospital After Battling Fire at Chinatown Shophouse

Not all heroes wear underwear outside their pants.

In real life, firefighters, healthcare workers, and police officers are the folks residents rely on to save them in case of emergencies—with their underwear inside their pants.

Firefighters, for example, battle raging fires on a regular basis so we can stay safe.

Our houses may end up getting burnt and blackened from a blaze, but we’re usually rescued in time, before suffering any serious injuries.

So, what happens if it’s the firefighter himself who gets injured in the heroic act?

Well, that’s exactly what happened to two firefighters who tried to put out a fire recently.

Fire Broke Out at Chinatown Shophouse

A fire broke out yesterday (15 Jun) at a shophouse located at 31 Teo Hong Road, near Outram Park MRT Station, and in the Chinatown area, according to the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF).

SCDF was alerted to the fire at around 11:15am.

Prior to the SCDF’s arrival, occupants of the shophouse had already been evacuated. Around 20 other occupants from the neighbouring units were evacuated by SCDF as a precautionary measure.

When SCDF firefighters arrived, they saw thick smoke billowing from the burning shophouse.

Equipped with breathing apparatus sets, firefighters went into the smoke-logged shophouse to put out the blaze.

“The fire at the ceiling on the third floor and the attic of the shophouse was extinguished with three water jets at about 1:15pm. A Combined Platform Ladder was also deployed to conduct aerial firefighting,” SCDF said in a Facebook post.

2 Firefighters Conveyed to Hospital 

As two career firefighters were conducting firefighting operations on the third floor, segments of the ceiling suddenly started falling on them.

“Both firefighters who were in full personal protective equipment (PPE) including helmets, were immediately evacuated,” SCDF said.

After being assessed by an SCDF paramedic, one of the firefighters was conveyed to Singapore General Hospital (SGH). He was still conscious.

The other firefighter was treated at the site for minor scratches.

Another firefighter, a full-time National Serviceman (NSF), experienced heat exhaustion and was conveyed to SGH as well.

NSF Has Since Been Discharged; SCDF Thanks Public for Kind Words

Fortunately, the NSF has since been discharged, SCDF said in an update on Facebook. The career officer has been warded overnight for observation.

SCDF thanked the public and netizens for their outpouring of support and well-wishes for the two affected officers.

“Your kind words are uplifting and keep their spirits high. Thank you!”

Feature Image: Facebook (Singapore Civil Defence Force)