3 sent to hospital after construction materials catch fire in Hougang HDB void deck

Gondola used by town council contractor catches fire in Hougang void deck

Three people were sent to the hospital after construction materials left in the void deck of an Hougang block caught fire on Monday (16 Feb).

A video of the blaze posted on XiaoHongShu showed the void deck engulfed in flames, sending a thick plume of smoke up the side of the block.

Resident fled home with son & dog

In her caption, the original poster (OP) said she was resting on the sofa at home when her helper alerted her to a fire.

She then looked downstairs and saw fire and smoke.

Alarmed, they grabbed some belongings and fled together with her son and dog.

Residents evacuate as police & SCDF arrive

Another video she shared showed thick smoke covering the block, with a police car having arrived at the scene.

Several residents had already evacuated and stood nearby watching firefighters doing their work.

Two firefighters were seen trying to open a fire hydrant to connect their hose.

Hougang void deck blackened, fire didn’t spread to flats above

After the fire had been put out, the OP shared photos of the affected void deck, whose walls and pillars were blackened by the fire.

Some burnt construction materials were also observed in a corner of the void deck.

Mr Adrian Ang, chairman of the People’s Action Party’s Bedok Reservoir-Punggol branch, said in a Facebook post that a gondola used by a contractor from Aljunied-Hougang Town Council (AHTC) had caught fire.

The fire was confined to the void deck and did not spread to the residential units above, he added.

He spoke with AHTC’s officer in charge, who was present at the scene, and was told that professionals would be deployed to assess the situation thoroughly.

Police & public put out Hougang fire

In response to queries from MS News, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said it was alerted to the fire at about 12.45pm on 16 Feb.

It involved construction materials at the void deck of Block 418 Hougang Avenue 8.

The police and members of the public extinguished the fire using fire extinguishers before SCDF arrived.

In his post, Mr Ang thanked “two Samaritans” who stepped forward to help fight the fire, leading to the situation being brought under control promptly.

3 people assessed for smoke inhalation

However, three people were assessed for smoke inhalation, SCDF said.

They were conveyed to Singapore General Hospital (SGH).

Mr Ang said “several residents” required medical assistance due to smoke inhalation. He wished them a smooth and speedy recovery and promised to visit them at home soon.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Workers clean void deck 2 hours after fire

At about the 3.50pm, the XiaoHongShu user posted again, sharing photos of town council workers cleaning the affected void deck.

She was impressed by the Government’s efficiency, saying that the workers arrived within two hours after the incident.

Also read: Bak kwa shop in Little India ravaged by fire before CNY, orders to be delayed

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Featured image adapted from Charmaine on XiaoHongShu.