Some residents evacuated after fire breaks out in kitchen of Sengkang HDB flat; no one injured
No one was in the flat when the fire broke out.
On August 18, a kitchen fire broke out in an HDB flat on Fernvale Road in Sengkang, prompting residents to evacuate the building. The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) responded to the call at around 5pm and found the fire in the sixth-floor kitchen of Block 408B. Upon arrival, SCDF officers had to forcefully enter the vacant flat, extinguishing the flames using a water jet. No one was injured in the incident.
MP Victor Lye, representing the Buangkok-Fernvale South division, learned about the fire while returning from a business trip in Kuala Lumpur. Lye explained that the SCDF was alerted by a neighbor whose helper had knocked on their door, reporting smoke coming from the unit below. Upon arriving, SCDF broke into the affected flat, where smoke was visible. Since the flat was unoccupied, the fire did not affect neighboring households.
Lye visited the unit and learned that the fire may have been caused by an electrical short circuit in the kitchen's power point. A Facebook post by Lye showed the aftermath of the fire, with blackened walls, deformed utensils, debris scattered across the kitchen counter, and soot on the floor. He commented that the emergency management protocol worked, but further adjustments were planned to enhance efficiency.
Lye emphasized the importance of residents and helpers knowing the SCDF emergency number and the circumstances under which to call for assistance.
In 2025, the total number of fires in Singapore increased by 3% to 2,050, with over half (1,051) being residential fires. The primary causes of home fires are unattended cooking and electrical issues, including faulty wiring or overloaded sockets.
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