SINGAPORE: An industrial building in Tampines that caught fire on May 9 has been found to be structurally safe by the Building and Construction Authority (BCA).
In a media reply, BCA said late on May 10 that it will issue an order to the owner to close off the entire three-storey building at 18 Tampines Street 92, excluding the unaffected guardhouse and carpark shelter.
BCA said its engineers were allowed to inspect the building after the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) completed its damping-down operations there on the morning of May 10.
Damping down refers to the application of water to burnt surfaces immediately after a fire is put out.
SCDF had earlier assessed the structure of the premises to be unstable.
BCA found that the fire had damaged parts of the reinforced concrete structures and the steel roof of the building, which is solely occupied by furnishing retailer T.C. Homeplus.
“The roof trusses showed signs of deformation due to prolonged heat exposure,” said BCA, adding that there was spalling observed on several columns and slabs.
“Despite these signs of fire damage, there was no significant structural deformation to the reinforced concrete beams, slabs and columns; hence, the building remains structurally safe.”
BCA has also instructed the building owner to appoint a professional engineer to carry out a detailed investigation into the structural condition, recommend immediate safety measures, and propose permanent rectification works.
According to SCDF, the fire involved textile items in the building. Five water jets, an aerial monitor from a combined platform ladder, and an unmanned firefighting machine were deployed to fight the fire. - The Straits Times/ANN
