A woman escaped unhurt after her washing machine caught fire in her Tampines HDB flat on Wednesday afternoon (25 Feb), with two explosion-like sounds later heard from inside the unit.
According to Shin Min Daily News, the incident occurred at about 1.30pm at a four-room unit on the fifth floor of Block 226 Tampines Street 23.
The homeowner, surnamed Lin, said the front-loading washing machine, which she had been using for nearly six years, was running at the time of the incident.
Source: PlanetCare on Unsplash, for illustration purposes only
She had just finished doing laundry and was cooking curry in the kitchen when she suddenly noticed smoke coming from the machine beside her.
Using a bamboo pole, she switched off the power socket connected to the appliance before unplugging it.
Despite this, flames continued to flare up from inside the washing machine, forcing her to flee the kitchen.
After evacuating the unit, she said she heard two explosion-like sounds coming from inside the flat.
Several neighbours went upstairs to assist after learning about the fire.
One resident who lives on the third floor said he smelled smoke and, upon spotting flames from a fifth-floor unit, rushed up to help.
He and Ms Lin attempted to fetch water from the master bedroom toilet to douse the fire. However, the blaze in the kitchen was too intense to be put out with water.
A power trip left the unit in darkness, and thick smoke quickly filled the home, forcing them to withdraw.
Source: Singapura Channel on Facebook
Another neighbour, who had previously served as a firefighter during National Service, retrieved a fire extinguisher from downstairs and went up to assist.
Residents in the vicinity reported seeing about four fire engines, a Red Rhino vehicle, and police cars at the scene.
The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) confirmed to MS News that they were alerted to the fire and extinguished it using a water jet.
No injuries were reported, and the cause of the fire is under investigation.
Photos taken after the incident showed the kitchen ceiling blackened by soot and shattered glass from the washing machine scattered across the floor.
Smoke marks were also visible on part of the living room ceiling, and water from the firefighting efforts remained inside the unit.
An electrician has since helped restore the power supply.
“The kitchen will definitely cost a large sum to renovate, but we’re fortunate that no one was injured,” Ms Lin said.
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Featured image adapted from Singapura Channel on Facebook and Casiana Malaia’s Images on Canva, for illustration purposes only.