SINGAPORE: Around 70 people were evacuated after a fire broke out in a HDB flat at Punggol on Nov 10.
The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said it was alerted to the fire at Block 105A Edgefield Plains at around 10.10pm.
The fire started in a unit on the 15th floor, and the SCDF said it was “likely from an electrical origin in the affected kitchen”.
In one of the videos posted on social media, a large piece of debris can be seen falling from the affected unit and onto the ground.
The SCDF said it extinguished the fire using a water jet.
It added that three people had been evacuated from the affected unit before its officers arrived.
Two people were assessed for smoke inhalation, but they declined to be taken to the hospital.
The SCDF remind the public not to overload electrical outlets with electrical appliances, and to switch them off when not in use.
Wire conditions should also be checked regularly, with immediate replacement or repair of frayed wires or cracked cords. Wires should be kept away from under carpets, mats and hot surfaces.
Homeowners should use only appliances and electrical plugs bearing safety marks, and not leave batteries or devices charging unattended for an extended period of time or overnight, the SCDF added.
In its annual statistics report released in February, the SCDF said the total number of fires increased by 3% to 2,050 in 2025 – up from 1,990 in 2024. Of these, more than half involved fires in 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
