Man dies in Woodlands fire, 2 hurt

SINGAPORE - A father of two died while his wife and son had to be rescued from a sixth-floor ledge yesterday after a fire broke out at their Woodlands flat.

Mr Tan Wee Lam William, 57, was found unconscious in the toilet after suffering a cardiac arrest. Firefighters pulled him out and paramedics tried to resuscitate him, but he died later.

His wife, Madam Chang Shiu-wen, 58, and son, Mr Tan Xi Tsier Jack, 23, escaped the flames by standing on a ledge outside a bedroom before being guided back inside by firefighters when the fire was extinguished. Both suffered smoke inhalation.

The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) was alerted to the fire at 3.18am and deployed ambulances, fire engines and red rhinos to Block 788E.

The police also received a call requesting for assistance.

Firefighters found the fire in the living room and study area, where it is believed to have started, and put it out within 20 minutes using two water jets.

Father and son were taken to Khoo Teck Puat Hospital while Madam Chang was taken to Singapore General Hospital (SGH).

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About 150 residents were evacuated from their homes while the SCDF dealt with the fire.

Police are investigating the blaze and treating the death of Mr Tan - who also leaves a daughter - as unnatural. According to Chinese evening newspaper Shin Min Daily News, Madam Chang and her son identified his body hours after the tragedy. They were accompanied by more than 10 family members and friends. Mr Tan's daughter, who now lives in Taiwan, is on her way back to Singapore.

During the fire, neighbours also heard cries for help, Shin Min reported.

The Tan family had been living in the Woodlands flat for more than a decade.

There have been at least seven reported fires in public flats since the beginning of the year.

In January, two security guards were killed when they went to the 65th floor of the Marina Bay Suites condominium to investigate a fire which is believed to have been caused by cigarette embers.

Last year, there were almost 2,800 reported cases of fires in Singapore flats, around 200 down on the previous year, the SCDF said.\

This article was first published on June 11, 2014.
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