3 taken to hospital after construction material fire at Hougang HDB void deck

Three people were taken to hospital after a fire broke out at a HDB void deck in Hougang on Monday (Feb 16). 

Footage posted on Xiaohongshu by a user named Charmaine shows flames on the ground floor, with smoke billowing. 

A large number of residents can also be seen gathering under the void deck of a neighbouring block. 

Charmaine, who called the events of her Chinese New Year eve "thrilling", wrote that she was sitting on her sofa when her domestic helper ran out of the kitchen yelling: "Ma'am, fire!" 

After closing the windows and grabbing their bags and the pet dog, they ran out of the flat. 

Charmaine also posted photos of the aftermath, with contractors involved in the clean-up. 

In response to queries by AsiaOne, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said they were alerted to a fire at Block 418 Hougang Avenue 8 at around 12.45pm. 

"The fire involved construction materials at the void deck of the affected block. 

"The police and members of the public extinguished the fire using fire extinguishers before SCDF's arrival." 

Three people were assessed for smoke inhalation and conveyed to Singapore General Hospital, said SCDF, and the cause of the fire is being investigated. 

PAP's branch chairperson and grassroots leader for the Bedok Reservoir-Punggol ward Adrian Ang said on Facebook that it was a gondola used by a contractor from Aljunied-Hougang Town Council (AHTC) that had caught fire. 

However, he was thankful that the blaze was confined to the void deck and did not spread to the residential units above. 

He also thanked two Samaritans who stepped forward to help fight the fire. 

Dr Ang wrote that he had "spoken with the AHTC officer in charge, who was present when [he] arrived at the scene" and was glad to hear from them that "professionals will be deployed to assess the situation thoroughly". 

Worker's Party MP for the Bedok Reservoir–Punggol ward in Aljunied GRC Gerald Giam also posted on Facebook that he had paid a visit to the HDB block later that evening, including households who lived directly above the site of the fire, to ensure their safety and that "their utilities remained functional". 

He thanked the SCDF for their assistance and Town Council, HDB personnel and contractors "who assisted, and are continuing to assist, in recovery operations on the eve of Chinese New Year". 

He also extended his gratitude to Dr Ang for checking in on those affected and the resident who attempted to extinguish the fire before the arrival of the authorities. 

Giam confirmed that HDB engineers and officers had visited the site to conduct a structural assessment, while debris clearance and recovery works were "well underway". 

"Common area lighting and piping have been restored, and cleaning and repainting will continue through tomorrow," he wrote. 

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drimac@asiaone.com