5 sent to hospital after Hougang coffeeshop fire, about 40 people evacuated

Hougang coffeeshop fire cuts power supply to shops & ATMs in the block

A fire gutted a coffeeshop in Hougang on Tuesday (5 May) morning, resulting in five people being sent to the hospital for smoke inhalation.

Videos posted on TikTok showed large flames leaping out of the windows of the coffeeshop on the ground floor of Block 106 Hougang Avenue 1.

Fire spreads to floors above Hougang coffeeshop

The clips, taken by nearby residents, revealed that the fire was not limited to the coffeeshop, but had spread to the floors above.

The blaze also produced thick smoke that wafted up from the four-storey block.

At least one fire engine was seen to have responded to the fire.

Hougang coffeeshop blackened & quiet after fire

After the blaze was put out, the interior of the coffeeshop was seen to be blackened with soot.

Its tables and chairs were also covered in ashes and debris.

Outside, the normally bustling location was darkened and eerily quiet.

Even the exterior walls of the three floors above were noticeably blackened by the fire.

The flames appeared to have travelled up the block via an exhaust vent, judging from its charred state.

5 people assessed for smoke inhalation & sent to hospital

In response to queries from MS News, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said it was alerted to the fire at about 4.50am on 5 May.

Several stalls within the coffeeshop were found to be on fire when SCDF arrived, and about 40 people had evacuated prior to that.

The blaze was extinguished with two water jets.

Five people were subsequently conveyed to Singapore General Hospital after being assessed for smoke inhalation.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Fire reportedly started by stall that was preparing food

One of the stalls in the coffeeshop was preparing food at the time of the fire, reported Lianhe Zaobao.

It is understood that the fire was accidentally started during this process.

A resident of the block who declined to be named told the Chinese daily that he saw a stall assistant who appeared to be injured and talking to paramedics.

Block’s power supply affected by fire

The resident also said that while he was allowed to return home after a short while, the power supply to several flats was cut off due to the fire.

He lamented that the weather has been hot lately and hoped the power would be restored soon.

Eight shops on the ground floor of the block were also affected by the power outage, including three clinics that were unable to operate and were forced to direct patients elsewhere or reschedule appointments.

Even the three ATMs in the block were not working, according to Zaobao.

AHTC working to restore services: Sylvia Lim

In a Facebook post on the same day, Aljunied GRC MP Sylvia Lim said Aljunied-Hougang Town Council (AHTC) had been working hard with contractors and government agencies to restore services.

She also thanked the police and SCDF for their help.

Ms Lim and Hougang MP Dennis Tan, who is Vice-Chair of AHTC,  visited affected households that afternoon, where residents shared their harrowing experiences of the fire, she added.

AHTC told The Straits Times at about 6pm that the affected units’ power supply had been restored.

Rectification works will be carried out after an assessment of the damage to common property.

AHTC has also reached out to offer assistance to affected households and commercial units.

Also read: 1 sent to hospital after fire breaks out at Bugis coffeeshop, caused by ‘kitchen mishap’

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Featured image adapted from @sally91911915 on TikTok and Sylvia Lim on Facebook.