2 sent to hospital after fire in Choa Chu Kang, 3rd reported blaze on same day

Man suffers smoke inhalation after trying to save cats from fire in Choa Chu Kang flat

Two people were sent to the hospital after a fire broke out at a flat in Choa Chu Kang, in the third blaze reported on the same day.

The fire at Block 4 Teck Whye Avenue took place on Sunday (13 July) evening, reported Shin Min Daily News.

Man sees fire in kitchen of Choa Chu Kang flat

The flat owner’s younger son, Haikel, 25, told Shin Min that he was in his room when he suddenly detected a strange smell.

Soon, he heard a neighbour shouting “fire!” at his door and emerged to find a fire in his kitchen and his living room filled with smoke.

He saw flames coming from the stove even though no one was cooking, he said.

Man tries to rush into flat to save cats

Haikel quickly fled the unit and notified his father, who lives with him and who was not at home.

However, the two men returned to the smoke-filled corridor outside their flat as they were concerned about their three cats.

The father wanted to rush in to save the cats, but his son prevented him from doing so.

Later, Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) personnel managed to rescue one of the cats, but the whereabouts of the other two are unknown.

“We are very worried about the remaining two cats,” Haikel said.

Man sent to hospital for smoke inhalation

Unfortunately, Haikel’s father ended up being sent to the hospital due to smoke inhalation.

He is in stable condition.

Shin Min reporters observed at least three fire engines and an ambulance at the scene.

One of the ambulances sent a woman holding a child to the hospital.

2 assessed for smoke inhalation: SCDF

In response to queries from MS News, SCDF said it was alerted to the fire at about 7.35pm on 13 July.

It involved the contents of a kitchen in a unit on the ninth floor and was extinguished using two Compressed Air Foam backpacks and a water jet.

Two individuals were assessed for smoke inhalation and were sent to the Singapore General Hospital and KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital, respectively.

45 people evacuated from block

As a precautionary measure, about 45 people from the affected block were evacuated, SCDF added.

Some of the evacuees included elderly people in wheelchairs, according to Shin Min.

One of them was a 93-year-old woman who lives on the 10th floor. His son said his neighbours had to help lift her wheelchair so she could evacuate.

Three fires reported on the same day

The Teck Whye blaze was the third reported on the same day.

The first occurred at about 8am that morning at the 13th-floor lift lobby of Block 52 Chai Chee Street, causing 35 people to be evacuated.

It involved household items piled near the lift lobby, which was “well-alight” when SCDF arrived, it told MS News.

Later, at about 3.50pm, SCDF was alerted to a fire at the centralised rubbish chute of Block 237 Compassvale Walk.

It was extinguished by activating the drencher system prior to SCDF’s arrival, with no reported injuries.

The causes of all three fires on Sunday are under investigation.

Also read: Fire breaks out at another unoccupied BMTC bunk on 11 July, second blaze in 3 weeks

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Featured image adapted from Shin Min Daily News on Facebook and Tan See Leng on Facebook.