2 taken to hospital, 60 evacuated after fire breaks out at Bukit Batok HDB flat

Two people were taken to hospital after a fire broke out at a Housing Board flat in Bukit Batok on Thursday (March 12) morning. 

The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said that they were alerted to the blaze at Block 465A Bukit Batok West Avenue 8 at around 8.20am. 

About 60 residents had evacuated by themselves prior to SCDF's arrival. 

The fire broke out in the living room of a unit on the second floor, said SCDF. 

They added that one resident was assessed for smoke inhalation and was taken to Singapore General Hospital, while another was taken to Ng Teng Fong General Hospital for chest discomfort. 

The cause of the fire is under investigation. 

@asiaone The Singapore Civil Defence Force shared that residents had been evacuated before they arrived on the scene. One resident was assessed for smoke inhalation and was taken to Singapore General Hospital, while another was taken to Ng Teng Fong General Hospital for chest discomfort. The cause of the fire is under investigation. #sgnews #singapore #hdb #fire ♬ original sound - AsiaOne

In a Facebook post shared later that day, Member of Parliament for Jurong East-Bukit Batok GRC Lee Hong Chuang said that the fire involved items in the flat. 

Lee, who oversees the Hong Kah North ward, said that temporary accommodation and meals are being provided to affected residents. 

"Most residents have since returned home safely, while a few are still awaiting final clearance before they are able to return to their units," he said. 

According to SCDF's annual statistics, they responded to 2,050 fires in 2025, up from 1,990 the previous year.

Residential fires also went up - from 968 in 2024 to 1,051 in 2025. 

SCDF flagged unattended cooking and electrical faults as the top causes for home fires. 

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chingshijie@asiaone.com