Fire breaks out in Aljunied flat 'due to lit candle': 13 people evacuated from the block

SINGAPORE - A fire broke out in a flat in the Aljunied area on Friday morning (Aug 19) and led to 13 people being evacuated from the Housing Board block.

A statement from the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said preliminary investigations showed that the fire at a sixth-storey unit at Block 3 Upper Aljunied Lane occurred due to a lit candle in the living room.

SCDF was alerted at 7.05am and extinguished the blaze using a water jet.

The fire was contained within the living room, although some other parts of the unit sustained heat and smoke damage.

Three people evacuated themselves before SCDF arrived, while the SCDF evacuated another 10 people from nearby units.

ALSO READ: Jurong East flat catches fire again, 1 day after blaze kills man

Two people were assessed by medics as a precautionary measure but both said there was no need to take them to hospital, SCDF said.

SCDF reminded the public not to leave lighted materials such as candles, tealights and incense sticks unattended and to extinguish these before leaving home.

On Tuesday, a flat in Jurong East caught fire, killing a 48-year-old man.

A day later, it caught fire again, likely reignited by deep-seated embers within the debris.

Neighbours said the flat occupants had a habit of hoarding things.

This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.