3 dead after fire engulfs Hougang unit, apartment allegedly belonged to 'known hoarder'

3 dead after fire engulfs Hougang unit filled with ‘excessive items’

UPDATE (9.30pm, 9 Jan): SCDF officers found a third person in a bedroom of the affected flat. A paramedic pronounced the person dead at the scene. More below.

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Several individuals were found dead in a Hougang apartment that caught fire shortly after noon on Thursday (9 Jan).

Image courtesy of MS News reader

The fire raged for hours before firefighters managed to extinguish it.

Victims were reportedly found in a bedroom of the affected flat.

SCDF alerted to Hougang fire shortly after noon on 9 Jan

In a Facebook post, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said it was alerted to the incident at about 12.40pm on Thursday (9 Jan).

The fire occurred in a third-floor unit at Block 971 Hougang Street 91.

While there were no “reported injuries” at the time of SCDF’s initial post, tragic news came two hours later at about 4.33pm.

In its second update, SCDF said two individuals were found in the bedroom of the affected flat and were pronounced dead by a paramedic.

SCDF also said officers “encountered challenges” entering the affected flat due to “excessive items” within the unit.

As a result, officers had to conduct forcible entry to enter the unit.

Source: Singapore Civil Defence Force on Facebook

30 occupants from the affected block were evacuated for precautionary measures.

Firefighting operations were still ongoing at the time of SCDF’s second update.

Source: Facebook

Affected flat allegedly belonged to ‘known hoarder’

Pictures circulating on Facebook showed that at least three SCDF vehicles were deployed to the scene.

Source: Facebook

According to an MS News reader, a witness claimed the affected flat belonged to a “known hoarder”.

SCDF officers were also seen attending to a cat, wrapping it in a towel.

Image courtesy of MS News reader

In its third and final update at 7.47pm, SCDF said the fire was extinguished at about 3.15pm using three water jets.

It added that its officers found a third person in another bedroom and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Officers also rescued a cat, a bird, and eight rabbits from the unit, all of which were alive and safely brought out.

According to an MS News reader, as of 10.45pm, SCDF officers were still at the scene, and residents living on the third floor had not yet been allowed to return home.

Image courtesy of MS News reader

In response to MS News’ queries, the police confirmed that three persons were found lying motionlessly in the unit and were subsequently pronounced dead at the scene.

Police investigations are ongoing.

Also read: 2nd-floor HDB apartment catches fire in Hougang, man jumps down & catches son thrown from unit