Automatic mahjong table blamed for fire in AMK HDB flat, 2 children, 18 & 21, trapped in unit

A fire broke out in a Singaporean Housing and Development Board flat on September 22, trapping two of the homeowner's children inside. An automatic mahjong table was suspected to have caused the blaze. The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) responded to the alarm at around 10:45am, finding black smoke billowing from the living room of a flat on the seventh floor.

The fire was extinguished with a water jet but caused extensive damage to the living room and master bedroom. Two residents, aged 21 and 18, were found in the bedrooms and were taken to the hospital for smoke inhalation. They were expected to be discharged on the following day. About 20 residents from the block were evacuated for safety.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation. The homeowner, Zhuang, who had bought the automatic mahjong table from a mall about a year ago for over S$800, said the table was not plugged in at the time of the fire and did not run on batteries. He was unsure of the cause of the fire. Neighbors reported seeing the flames from outside the unit and that a window had shattered due to the heat.

An MP visited the affected residents and reminded everyone about basic fire safety measures at home, particularly when using electrical appliances.