A family of six escaped unharmed after a fire broke out in their Punggol flat early on Sunday (Oct 4).
Juffri Alui told AsiaOne that he, his wife and their four children had just returned home from Johor Bahru and settled their children, including their seven-month-old baby, to bed.
The couple then decided to wash up before going to sleep.
While showering in the common toilet at about 4am, Juffri's wife heard a crackling sound and noticed a smell of smoke.
She alerted her husband, who switched off the water heater while she quickly finished showering.
But the smell of smoke grew stronger after she left the bathroom.
Juffri said he then went to investigate and noticed a small fire inside the LED light box in the toilet.
"[I] told my wife to wake the kids up and got everyone out of the house," he told AsiaOne.
Juffri called the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) at about 4.35am while he remained inside the flat to monitor the fire.
SCDF arrived within 10 minutes and used a hose reel to put out the blaze.
@asiaone The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) shared that preliminary findings indicated that the fire had likely originated from an electrical source in the toilet. Juffri had previously noticed a similar crackling sound and smoke in the en-suite of the master bedroom, though no fire had occurred then. #sgnews #Singapore #Fire ♬ original sound - AsiaOne
SCDF told AsiaOne that it was alerted to a fire at a unit in Punggol at about 4.40am on Sunday, where the fire occurred on the fifth floor.
No injuries were reported.
It noted that preliminary findings indicated that the fire had likely originated from an electrical source in the toilet.
Juffri also noticed a similar crackling sound and smoke in the master bedroom, although that area did not catch fire.
He said the light box was already installed when the family moved into the flat, and they had only installed the lights themselves.
"It was the wires that connected to the water heater," he added.
Juffri said he was grateful that his family was able to leave the flat quickly and that SCDF officers arrived soon after he called for help.
He also thanked SCDF for its quick response and for checking that everyone was safe and did not require medical attention.
"I'm glad I am already back in Singapore when this happened," he wrote in his Instagram post sharing the incident.
SCDF reminded the public to take precautions against electrical fire, including avoiding overloading electrical outlets and switching off appliances when they are not in use.
Members of the public should also regularly check electrical wires and replace or repair frayed wires and cracked cords immediately.
SCDF advised against running wires under carpets or mats and said wires should be kept away from hot surfaces.
It also reminded consumers to use only electrical appliances and plugs bearing the Safety Mark.
SCDF added that batteries and devices should not be left charging unattended for extended periods or overnight.
[[nid:746815]]
