SINGAPORE: Two people were taken to hospital for smoke inhalation after a fire broke out in the bedroom of a Pasir Ris HDB flat on Sunday (Sept 13) morning.
The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said it was alerted to the blaze at Block 722 Pasir Ris Street 72 at about 7.30am.
Three people had evacuated from the eighth-floor unit before SCDF arrived, and about 20 people from the block were evacuated by the police and SCDF as a precaution.
The fire, which involved a bedroom in the unit, was extinguished using a water jet, said SCDF.
Two people were taken to the Singapore General Hospital for smoke inhalation.
SCDF said preliminary findings suggest that the fire had likely started from an electrical origin in the bedroom.
In a video posted on TikTok by user dyra.propertysg on Sept 13, smoke is seen rising from an 11-storey building as sirens are heard blaring in the distance.
“Before this, I heard two explosions, so I’m so scared,” she says, just as another explosion is heard.
“(The fire is) very big, I can’t even breathe properly,” she adds.
Three SCDF vehicles and two police cars can be seen at the scene. Soot is also seen on the outer facade of the units above the one that caught on fire.
To prevent such fires, SCDF reminded the public to avoid overloading electrical outlets with electrical appliances and to always switch off appliances when they are not in use.
Batteries and other devices should not be charged overnight or left charging for extended periods, added SCDF.
Members of the public should not run wires under carpets or mats, and wires should be kept away from hot surfaces.
The condition of electrical wires should be checked regularly. Frayed wires or cracked cords should be replaced or repaired immediately.
SCDF also advised people to use only appliances and electrical plugs bearing the Safety Mark. The categories of controlled appliances can be found at www.consumerproductsafety.gov.sg
In its annual statistics report, SCDF said the total number of fires increased by 3 per cent from 1,990 in 2024 to 2,050 in 2025. Of these, 1,051 involved fires at residential buildings.
Unattended cooking and electrical fires – including faults in electrical wiring or overloaded sockets – remained the top two causes of home fires. - The Straits Times/ANN
