Resident trapped by Potong Pasir fire sent to hospital for smoke inhalation
The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) sent a resident to the hospital after a fire broke out in a Potong Pasir HDB flat on Wednesday (1 Oct).
The SCDF said a personal mobility device (PMD) likely caused the blaze.
Source: Shin Min Daily News
Fire engulfs Potong Pasir flat’s living room
Video footage of the fire provided to Shin Min Daily News showed flames engulfing the living room of the two-storey first-floor unit.
Even its windows were on fire, with thick black smoke emanating from them.
Source: Shin Min Daily News
Shattered glass lay on the ground outside, and a person shouted, “Get out!”
Man trapped in Potong Pasir flat due to fire
A 66-year-old resident named only as Ms Ye (transliterated from Mandarin) told Shin Min that she had heard a sudden explosion and saw her neighbour’s flat in flames.
A 46-year-old man named only as Mr Chen (transliterated from Mandarin), who lives above the affected unit, said he evacuated his home with his family and some belongings after hearing the explosion and seeing the thick smoke.
Other neighbours said they heard the occupant shouting for help from the second floor of his home. They believed the inferno downstairs trapped him.
Residents called the authorities, with one trying to put out the fire with a water hose.
Man suffers burns, cat dies
By the time Shin Min reporters arrived at the scene, firefighters had put out the fire, leaving only ashes, debris and a charred shell of a flat.
Source: Shin Min Daily News
Reporters saw several SCDF personnel and police officers, with part of the area cordoned off.
Source: Shin Min Daily News
A man claiming to be a friend of the occupant said rescuers saved him in a conscious state.
However, he suffered burns over 30% to 40% of his body and was undergoing surgery in the hospital.
His cat, however, was not so lucky. The feline failed to escape, with its carcass brought out of the flat.
SCDF rescue man and send him to hospital
In response to queries from MS News, SCDF said it received an alert about the fire at about 2.55pm on 1 Oct.
It involved the contents of a living room in a first-floor unit of Block 132 Potong Pasir Avenue 1.
Source: Google Maps
The SCDF extinguished the fire using a water jet and evacuated a person from the affected unit.
They sent him to Singapore General Hospital for smoke inhalation.
Fire likely originated from PMD: SCDF
SCDF added that the fire likely originated from a PMD in the living room, according to preliminary investigations.
It reminded the public not to purchase or use non-original batteries for active mobility devices.
Do not charge batteries for an extended period of time or overnight.
Source: Singapore Civil Defence Force on Facebook
More than 1 PMD inside unit, says neighbour
After the fire, witnesses saw SCDF personnel removing from the flat a burnt PMD, reduced to just its metal frame, as well as some of its components.
Source: Shin Min Daily News
A neighbour, who declined to be named, told Shin Min that there was more than one PMD in the unit.
She had advised the occupant not to leave them inside his flat, but he did not heed her warning, she said.
Also read: Why PMDs catch fire & how users in S’pore can prevent blazes from happening
Why PMDs catch fire & how users in S’pore can prevent blazes from happening
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Featured image adapted from Shin Min Daily News.
