Bodies of 2 fire victims sent back to Bangladesh
PUBLISHED ONApril 07, 2015 6:28 AMByMiranda Yeo
THE bodies of two workers who died in a fire in Geylang were sent back to Bangladesh yesterday afternoon, their employer said. The workers' boss, Mr Thanapalan Vijayan, 40, said his company paid for all the arrangements.
Another four of his employees, who also lived in the flat, have been relocated but Mr Thanapalan, who owns electrical and construction company Prower Tech Engineering Services, declined to say where they are now.
On Friday last week, a fire broke out at the apartment in Geylang Lorong 6, killing the two Bangladeshi workers, Mr Mamun Abdullah, 22, and Mr Hosen Ali, 20. Three other men were injured.
More than 30 workers were living in the second-floor apartment before the fire.
When The Straits Times visited the apartment yesterday, the floor was still strewn with the workers' clothes, books and several rice cookers, among other things. Exposed wires hung from the charred ceiling and pools of water had collected in the kitchen sink and on the floor, giving off a stench.
Mr Harum Roshid, 32, a former resident of the apartment, said he has relocated to an apartment in Geylang Lorong 12 after the fire. He returned to take his belongings, only to find that most of them - like clothes and electrical appliances - are now unusable. "I lost almost everything I own in the fire," said Mr Harum.
The neighbouring apartment's owner, Mr Juan Tai Kin, 79, said he made a report to the National Environment Agency about the stench and the mosquitoes breeding in the stagnant water.
The Singaporean landlords, who wanted to be known only as Mr and Mrs Bala, said arrangements have been made to clear the water by today. They are working on insurance claims and cooperating with the authorities on investigations, Mrs Bala said.
The Singapore Civil Defence Force said the cause of the fire is still under investigation.
miranday@sph.com.sg
This article was first published on Apr 7, 2015.
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