Three people were taken to hospital after a fire broke out at the void deck of a Housing Board block in Hougang on the eve of Chinese New Year.
The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said that it was alerted to the blaze at Block 418 Hougang Avenue 8 at about 12.45 pm on Monday, February 16. The fire involved construction materials stored at the void deck.
Before firefighters arrived, police officers and members of the public used fire extinguishers to douse the flames. SCDF said three individuals were assessed for smoke inhalation and subsequently conveyed to Singapore General Hospital.
Videos shared on Chinese social media platform Xiaohongshu showed thick, dark smoke billowing from the void deck and rising several storeys. Groups of residents were seen gathered outside the block as the incident unfolded.
One resident, who identified herself online as Charmaine, wrote that she had been resting at home when her domestic helper alerted her to the smell of smoke. After shutting the windows and grabbing their belongings, they evacuated the flat with their pet dog.
Photos taken after the fire showed soot-stained walls and floors at the void deck, with workers cleaning the affected areas.
Aljunied GRC MP Gerald Giam said in a Facebook post on Monday evening, February 16, that Housing Board engineers and officers had inspected the site to assess the structural condition of the block.
He added that lighting and piping in the common areas had been restored, and that cleaning and repainting works would continue the following day. During his visit to residents, Giam said he was told of an individual who had attempted to extinguish the fire before SCDF’s arrival.
“If you are that hero, I sincerely thank you,” he wrote, also expressing appreciation to responding officers and contractors.
SCDF said the cause of the fire is still under investigation.
