Fire Engulfs Buildings In Tuas South On 13 Mar, Brought Under Control After 2 Hours
Industrial fires tend to involve chemicals and heavy equipment, so they can be larger and more difficult to put out than residential ones.
Unfortunately, Tuas was the location of another industrial fire on Monday (13 Mar), when a massive fire engulfed buildings in Tuas South.
Source: Sahrudeen Mohammad on Facebook
This time, two workers were the only ones who suffered injuries, and their wounds were minor.
SCDF alerts public to Tuas South fire
In a Facebook post on Monday (13 Mar) at 6.54pm, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) alerted the public to a fire at 28 Tuas South Avenue 8.
Source: SCDF on Facebook
They said their officers were in the process of fighting the fire with two water jets and a ground monitor.
It’s expected to be an “extended firefighting operation”, they added, highlighting the massive scale of the blaze.
From the address they gave, the location is Sika Singapore’s head office and factory.
Source: SCDF on Facebook
Members of the public alerted to avoid area
In their next update at 7.19pm, the SCDF said they’d alerted members of the public to avoid the area.
Source: SCDF on Facebook
This was sent out via the SMS Public Alert System and SGSecure app.
At 8.11pm, the SCDF revealed that they were alerted to the fire at 6.15pm, and it was raging inside a warehouse connected to an industrial building.
Source: SCDF on Facebook
They had also boosted their arsenal to six water jets and an unmanned firefighting machine.
Source: SCDF on Facebook
Tuas South fire about 1.5 football fields in size
In another update at 9.08pm, the SCDF said the fire was the size of about 1.5 football fields and had spread to both the industrial building and warehouse.
Source: SCDF on Facebook
It involved solvents and flammable construction materials, explaining why it had become so big.
Thus, they’ve increased the number of water jets being used to eight, along with an unmanned firefighting machine.
2 workers suffered injuries
Unfortunately, two workers have also suffered injuries due to the fire.
However, their injuries are minor, with one getting blisters on his hands and the other sustaining blisters on his forehead.
Both declined to be sent to hospital.
No other injuries were reported.
About 40 people who were in the buildings have been accounted for, the SCDF told Channel NewsAsia (CNA).
Fire brought under control after about 2 hours
In their final update at 12.34am on Tuesday (14 Mar) morning, the SCDF said the fire was brought under control at about 8.15pm — about two hours after it was reported.
Source: SCDF on Facebook
They deployed a total of 26 emergency vehicles and 80 personnel, they added.
Though the fire is under control, the operation is still ongoing as they have to damp down (i.e. apply water to prevent rekindling) the premises after the fire is extinguished.
Source: SCDF on Facebook
The firefighters also have to recuperate if they show signs of heat injury, through a treatment-cum-rehabilitation facility with a Cold Water Immersion System.
Source: SCDF on Facebook
MS News extends our gratitude to the dauntless firefighters and wishes the injured parties a speedy recovery.
8th Tuas fire in recent years
The Tuas South fire on 13 Mar was at least the eighth blaze at the industrial estate in recent years.
It follows Tuas fires in February 2017, December 2019, March 2020, February 2021, January 2022, April 2022 and June 2022.
Hopefully, there will be fewer such incidents in future.
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Featured image adapted from Sahrudeen Mohammad on Facebook and SCDF on Facebook.
