Everything You Need To Know About The Mandai Fire Which Caused A Worker’s Death

Following the massive fire incident at the famous Sembawang God of Wealth temple on 18 Sep 2020, firefighters from the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) responded to a call last Thursday, 24 Sep 2020, for a huge fire at 228A Mandai Estate.

The fire occurred at the site of World Metal Industries, which is a general waste disposal facility.

What Happened

The SCDF officers were alerted at around 7.10pm last Thursday about the fire.

The fire involved a pile of scrap metal which measured around 20m by 20m. The SCDF officers extinguished the fire using four water jets.

An image from a Facebook user showed how massive the blaze was.

In the incident, an employee of World Metal Industries, Mr Wang Hai Tao, sustained severe burns due to the fire.

The Chinese national was sent to Ng Teng Fong General Hospital by the SCDF’s officers.

Employee Succumbed To Injuries

After battling with his injuries for three days, the 50-year-old passed on at 12.29pm on 27 Sep 2020.

According to the managing director of the company, Mr Luo, the company had arranged for Mr Wang to speak to his family every day via video conferencing before taking his last breath.

In addition, Mr Luo mentioned that Mr Wang’s friends and colleagues in Singapore was able to bid farewell to him as well.

Mr Luo said that Mr Wang was a good employee and colleague. He was also a responsible husband and father.

Company To Take Care Of Mr Wang’s Funeral Arrangements

According to Lianhe Wanbao, Mr Luo mentioned that the company will ensure that Mr Wang’s funeral arrangements are taken care of.

Mr Luo said, “The company has made arrangements for Mr Luo’s family to come to Singapore. They [the family] has decided not to send Mr Wang’s body back to China.”

Allegedly Smoking Within Premises

There are allegations stating that the cause of the fire might be due to Mr Wang smoking within the premises.

Based on Lianhe Wanbao’s report, the cigarette butt could have ignited the leaked fumes from the bottles of air fresheners in the factory, resulting in the fire.

Mr Luo mentioned that he heard from other employees that Mr Wang was spotted smoking in the factory before the accident occurred.

He also shared that some fumes might have leaked from the air freshener bottles, during the transportation process and while placing them on the ground.

A fire might occur if a person is smoking near these bottles, or if cigarette butts are thrown near them.

The managing director also added that he has advised Mr Wang and other colleagues against smoking within the premises.

The Company Clarifies On Allegations On Operating An Excavator Without A Licence

There was also a rumour that Mr Wang was operating an excavator within the premises without a license, causing a fire to break out during the process.

The company has since made clarifications.

They maintained that Mr Wang does not have a license to operate the excavator, nor was it in use when the accident happened.

It was added that for the company, overtime only takes place from 5pm to 7pm.

The accident, Mr Luo pointed out, took place at 7.05pm, which is when all employees should’ve finished their day’s work and are preparing to head home.

Investigations into the cause of the fire are still ongoing.

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