Sunday, 22 June 2008
Fire incident at Senja Road

At 0623 hrs, SCDF was alerted to a fire incident at Block 624 Senja Road (unit no 06-104).  One fire engine, a red rhino, two support appliances and two ambulances were   dispatched to the incident location.

SCDF personnel arrived at the scene in eight minutes. On arrival, the crew saw black smoke billowing from the affected unit – a 5 – room residential flat at the 6th storey – and its occupants standing at the air- conditioner ledges outside the kitchen window. Six residents, on the air- conditioner ledge at the 6th storey, were immediately rescued and brought down by the response personnel through the combined platform ladder (CPL). Another two of the unit’s occupants, who were on the air-conditioner ledge directly below at the 4th storey, were also brought to safety through the ladder.

At the same time, fire –fighters forced open the main gate of the unit, using rescue tools, to gain entry into it. Donning breathing apparatus sets and deploying a 38 mm water jet, the crew extinguished the fire in 10 minutes. The fire was confined to the living room. Two occupants who were found in a bedroom of the unit were safely rescued and brought out by the fire-fighters.  All ten occupants rescued were attended to by the medical crew. However, there were no casualties.

About 50 residents on the floors above and below the affected unit were evacuated by the personnel at the scene.

The cause of the fire is currently under investigation.