SINGAPORE: A fire has broken out at a building in Tampines, prompting officer workers as well as students in a nearby school to evacuate from their classrooms.
In a Facebook post on Friday (May 9), the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said it was alerted to the fire at a two-storey industrial building in 18 Tampines Street 92 at around 12.50pm. According to a Google search, two companies are listed under this address - furnishing retailer T.C. Homeplus and bedding store Jean Perry.SG.
Thick black smoke was seen billowing from the affected building.
The force is using five water jets to conduct firefighting operations at the scene.
When ST reached the scene of the incident at around 1.15pm, students from the nearby Middleton International School were seen exiting the school’s buildings via the staircases in large groups, and gathered on the ground floor of the school compound.
A spokeperson for EtonHouse, which operates Middleton, said in response to queries that all the children and community members were safely evacuated.
She added that the school is working closely with SCDF and other agencies.
An eyewitness, who wanted to be known only as James, said he was heading back to his office after lunch at Our Tampines Hub when he saw the smoke.
When he arrived at his workplace - located across the road from the affected building - employees were being evacuated and SCDF vehicles had gathered at the scene.
The 35-year-old data centre employee said it was challenging to account for everyone’s attendance, as the fire broke out during lunchtime when many people were out.
An employee at T.C. Homeplus who wants to be known only as Lee said: “I was having lunch with around 10 colleagues at the canteen of the building when we heard someone shout ‘fire’, and we all evacuated.”
The 45-year-old added that fire engines and other help arrived 10 minutes after she saw the fire at around 1pm. - The Straits Times/ANN
