1 dead, 2 rescued after blaze breaks out in Whampoa HDB flat

SINGAPORE — One person died after a fire broke out in a Whampoa Housing Board flat in the early hours of May 6.

In a Facebook post later on May 6, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said it was alerted to the incident at Block 76 Lorong Limau at around 2.30am.

The fire was seen "raging" inside a unit on the sixth storey and firefighters had to force their way in, said SCDF.

One person was pronounced dead at the scene by a paramedic after being found inside one of the bedrooms. Two others were rescued by firefighters from the utility room in the kitchen area and were subsequently taken to Singapore General Hospital, said SCDF.

It added that firefighters from the Central Fire Station and Bishan Fire Station used two water jets to extinguish the fire, which had affected the entire unit.

Around 200 people from neighbouring units were evacuated by the police and SCDF as a precautionary measure, said the force, adding that the cause of the fire is under investigation.

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