Four Malaysians killed in Geylang hostel fire in Singapore

Civil Defence Forces personnel carrying out investigations in Geylang

PETALING JAYA: Four Malaysians, all working as cleaners, were killed in a fire at a workers hostel in Geylang, Singapore early Saturday.

Three of them - males aged between 37 and 50 - died at the scene while the fourth male was confirmed dead on arrival at the hospital. They were believed to have suffocated.

The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said they were informed of the fire at 1.40am.

An official from the Malaysian High Commission in Singapore said the victims were identified from their identity cards and passports.

They were identified as Jubitol Rumanjing, 37, Maslan Musundo, 43, Yusoff Masrong, 49, all from Sabah, and Ramu Kotiah, 50, said to be from Perak.

The Straits Times said at least nine  people were sent to the Tan Tock Seng Hospital and Singapore General Hospital. They included two firefighters, who sustained minor injuries.

The hostel, converted from a shoplot, in Geyland Lorong 4 was occupied by some 100 foreigners from China, India, Bangladesh and Malaysia.

The shoplot was partitioned into 11 units of rooms each occupied by about 10 people.