Prayer altar catches fire in Boon Keng, 2 sent to hospital after residents put out blaze

Two individuals were sent to hospital following a fire in Boon Keng at 112 McNair Road on Saturday (Aug 23), according to the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF).

The blaze, which originated from a prayer altar that caught fire in the early hours on Saturday, was put out with water and a fire extinguisher by residents.

Responding to queries from AsiaOne, SCDF stated that they were alerted to the incident at around 4am.

The fire was extinguished prior to SCDF's arrival, and one person was conveyed to Singapore General Hospital while another was sent to Tan Tock Seng Hospital.

Jalan Besar GRC MP Shawn Loh shared in a Facebook post on Saturday that while some residents fought the fire, others went door to door to get people to evacuate.

"When I went down this morning, many were in good spirits," he wrote, adding that one resident said it was a "blessing to have good neighbours who look out for another".

Loh also said that Town Council and Residents Network members were at the scene to help residents who needed assistance. He also promised to focus on restoring power to the remaining half of the block by the evening.

Fire safety in the Lunar Seventh Month

In a separate Facebook post on Saturday, the SCDF shared fire safety tips for the Lunar Seventh Month, which started the same day.

"Do exercise caution when conducting activities like the burning of joss sticks and incense papers," they cautioned, adding that fire safety is a collective responsibility.

According to the SCDF, members of the public should avoid placing joss sticks and candles on grass patches and fields.

Burners and containers should be placed on sturdy ground, away from combustible materials and residential premises.

Smouldering embers should also be completely extinguished before members of the public leave their prayer premises.

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khooyihang@asiaone.com