Huge blaze on Jurong Island after oil tank catches fire

SINGAPORE - A large fire broke out on Jurong Island on Wednesday afternoon (April 20), and was put out after a prolonged operation involving 150 personnel.

In a Facebook post, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said that they received a call regarding an oil tank fire at Tembusu Road on Jurong Island at about 3pm.

SCDF said that the affected tank contained light crude oil, and was about 40 metres in diameter and 20 metres high. The intensity of the fire also caused the tank to fold and buckle.

According to Reuters, the tank belongs to petrochemical producer Jurong Aromatics.

SCDF dispatched five fire engines, three red rhinos, one ambulance and 29 support vehicles comprising approximately 150 personnel to fight the fire.

The operation took about five hours, before the fire was finally extinguished at 7.45pm. SCDF described the operation as a "race against time", due to the need to prevent the fire from spreading to its immediate surroundings.

A contributor to citizen journalism website Stomp said that the fire is suspected to have been caused by a lightning strike.

A number of netizens also posted photos and videos of the incident, which showed the fire and a column of thick, black smoke in the air.

jurong island blaze it pic.twitter.com/DSRr5v2oqV

— raiiiiiiiii/// (@RaihanAmr) April 20, 2016

More to come.

seanyap@sph.com.sg