Bugis Cube Karaoke Room Fire Triggers Extensive Water Damage to Multiple Businesses on Lower Floors

By
Loh Huey Xin
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A fire broke out in a family-style karaoke room on the top floor of a shopping mall.

While the automatic sprinkler system successfully extinguished the flames, it caused water leakage through ceilings and flooding on other floors.

At least six shops had to delay opening, with some forced to close for an entire day.

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Fire Breaks Out in Early Morning Hours

According to a report by Shin Min Daily News, the fire occurred at around 2:00 AM on Thursday (3 Apr 2025) in a family-style karaoke room located on the sixth floor of the Bugis Cube building.

Chen Junhan (name transliterated from Mandarin), a 40-year-old owner of a hair salon and beauty shop on the second floor, told reporters that a cleaner informed him around 7:00 AM that a fire had broken out on the sixth floor during the early morning, resulting in significant water accumulation.

“My staff rushed to the building and found that water had indeed entered our shop. I found it strange—how could there be flooding on the second floor from a fire on the sixth floor?” he said.

According to what he heard from others, someone smoking in one of the family-style karaoke rooms on the sixth floor had caused the fire.

He noted that shops on the fifth, fourth, and second floors were also affected.

Multiple Businesses Face Disruptions

“We spent the entire day before yesterday cleaning from morning until evening and couldn’t conduct any business. I also called in an electrician to check, and thankfully, the salon lights still work,” Chen said.

He mentioned that two power outlets were damaged, along with some decorative items and the lights behind nine mirrors that no longer function.

In the beauty shop, ceiling leaks caused electrical trips whenever lights were turned on.

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“The electrician said we need to wait for the circuits to dry before they can be checked and repaired.”

When reporters visited around 8:00 PM on Thursday, most of the building’s floors had dried.

Ms. Cai (name transliterated from Mandarin), a 40-year-old owner of another hair salon on the second floor, said in an interview that she only discovered the flooding when she came to open her shop at 10:00 AM on Thursday.

“My wallpaper and vinyl flooring have absorbed water and are starting to peel off.”

She added that her curtains were soaked and smelly, and an electronic sign was damaged after water infiltration.

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After cleaning for about an hour, she had to cancel some customer appointments.

“About 20% of our business was affected,” she said.

An employee at another nail and beauty shop said they spent the entire morning cleaning before they could open for business.

“Some of our products were stored on the balcony at the back, where water leaked in, damaging the packaging. We had to remove the packaging and use those products ourselves.”

When questioned, the Civil Defense Force confirmed that the fire involved a room on the sixth floor.

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The building’s sprinkler system had extinguished the fire before Civil Defense personnel arrived.

No injuries were reported, and the cause of the fire is still under investigation.

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Loh Huey Xin