4 taken to hospital, 50 evacuated after fire erupts in Serangoon HDB flat

Four people were taken to hospital and 50 evacuated after a fire broke out in a Serangoon HDB flat on Tuesday (Sept 16) evening.

In a Facebook post later that day, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said it responded to a fire at Block 502 Serangoon North Avenue 4 at about 8pm.

Upon arriving at the scene, firefighters saw that one of the bedrooms of the seventh-floor HDB unit was on fire and extinguished the flames with a water jet.

Three people from the unit had evacuated before SCDF arrived, with one of them having suffered minor burn injuries.

They were assessed for smoke inhalation and taken to Singapore General Hospital, alongside another resident from a neighbouring unit. As a precautionary measure, around 50 residents were also evacuated from the block by the police and SCDF.

Preliminary findings revealed that the fire likely had an electrical origin in the bedroom.

SCDF reminded the public that to avoid such fires, they should not overload electrical outlets with appliances, switch off appliances when they are not in use and check the condition of wires regularly. Frayed wires or cracked cords should be replaced or repaired immediately.

It also said that people should not run wires under carpets or mats and ensure they keep wires away from hot surfaces. Batteries or devices should also not be left charging unattended for a long period of time, or overnight.

SCDF also advised people to use only appliances and electrical plugs bearing the Safety Mark. The categories of appliances can be found at http://www.consumerproductsafety.gov.sg.

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bhavya.rawat@asiaone.com