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On 17 June 2026 at about 3:35am, firefighters from Jurong Fire Station were dispatched to a residential fire at Jurong West Street 81.
For Rota Commander LTA Muhammad Thaftazzani Bin Mohamad Tayib, the early-morning call was a reminder of the unpredictable nature of the job, requiring firefighters to remain constantly alert. "We stand ready to respond to emergencies even in the middle of the night," he said.
(From left) LTA Muhammad Shahiran Bin Abd Rahim (Deputy Rota Commander), WO1 Nazrin Bin Johan, CPL Nor Syazwan Bin Razali, SGT2 Kulkarni Malhar Ajey, CPL Danial Hanif Bin Ramlee, and LTA Muhammad Thaftazzani Bin Mohamad Tayib (Rota Commander). Together, they extinguished the fire and rescued two occupants from the unit. PHOTO: SCDF
First to arrive on scene were WO1 Nazrin Bin Johan, SGT2 Kulkarni Malhar Ajey, and CPL Nor Syazwan Bin Razali. Getting off from their Light Fire Attack Vehicle (also known as the Red Rhino), they swiftly assessed the situation.
"When we arrived, we were greeted by a burning smell in the air, and black smoke coming from a unit on the 13th floor," SGT2 Malhar recalled. "We grabbed our firefighting equipment and carried out our assigned tasks."
They were soon joined by LTA Thaftazzani, LTA Muhammad Shahiran Bin Abd Rahim, and CPL Danial Hanif Bin Ramlee, who arrived in the fire engine.
Through members of the public, the crew learnt that two occupants were still trapped inside the unit.
"Our priority was to rescue them quickly and safely," LTA Shahiran said. "Supported by our colleagues from Tuas Fire Station and Bukit Batok Fire Station, we quickly established the water supply and water jet before entering the unit.”
(From left) SGT3 Muhammad Naufal Bin Ahmadsubronto, WO2 Mohamed Raihan Bin Mohamed Haroun, LTA Zheng Yanlei, CPL Syakir Aniq Bin Abdul Samad, SGT1 Muhammad Nur Aizat Bin Raimi, and LTA Hasron Bin Robana (not in photo) from Tuas Fire Station supported the firefighting operation. PHOTO: TUAS FIRE STATION
(From left) WO1 Nurzahirman Bin Abdul Rahman, CPL Muhammad Asyraaf Bin Afandi, SGT1 Ho Ming Hao, SGT1 Amirul Asyraf, and SGT1 Yam Hao Ming from Bukit Batok Fire Station provided strong support throughout the firefighting operation. PHOTO: BUKIT BATOK FIRE STATION
Within the unit, thick smoke greatly reduced the visibility. Putting into practice the techniques that they had trained for in low visibility conditions, the firefighters stayed low and used thermal imaging cameras to navigate the smoke-logged unit.
"When we train at the Civil Defence Academy and in the Fire Station, we train the same way as we would operate on the ground," LTA Shahiran explained. “In smoke-logged conditions, we keep close to the wall and use a shuffling technique, checking the path ahead with our hands and feet before moving forward.”
As LTA Shahiran and SGT2 Malhar searched for the occupants, LTA Thaftazzani, WO1 Nazrin, CPL Hanif, and CPL Syazwan focused on extinguishing the fire.
"There were several pockets of fire within the unit, including the entrance, ceiling, kitchen, and balcony," WO1 Nazrin explained.
Constant vigilance was necessary throughout the firefighting operation.
“While the search and rescue were ongoing, we remained vigilant for any possible reignition of fire,” WO1 Nazrin added.
Moving along the perimeter of the unit, LTA Shahiran and SGT2 Malhar located a woman in one of the rooms.
"The door was open, and she was near the window,” LTA Shahiran said.
"She was covering her nose and mouth with a T-shirt and gasping for air," SGT2 Malhar recalled. "As smoke rises during a fire, we told her to stay low and quickly guided her out.”
The woman was safely evacuated and handed over to the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) crew for medical assessment and treatment.
The firefighters then continued their search for the second occupant.
"He was in a locked room opposite where we found the woman,” LTA Shahiran said. "We told him to move away from the door before forcing it open. He was shocked by how large the fire was and did not expect us to be there. We quickly guided him out of the unit.”
Within minutes, the fire was extinguished. Four people from the affected unit, including the two who were rescued, were conveyed to the hospital. About 40 other residents from neighbouring units were evacuated by the Singapore Police Force as a precautionary measure.
Throughout the operation, the firefighters relied heavily on their training and teamwork.
"We train regularly for unit fire scenarios, so everyone knows what to do," CPL Syazwan said.
Nodding in agreement, SGT2 Malhar said, "Our drills in the Fire Station reinforce what we have learnt in the Civil Defence Academy, and we are prepared to adapt when unexpected situations arise.”
Despite the urgency of the rescue, safety was strictly observed.
"As the Rota Commander, my crew’s safety is my utmost priority. We checked our Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) on the way to the incident site, and again before entering the unit. These checks ensure our safety as we carry out our duty,” LTA Thaftazzani said firmly.
LTA Shahiran emphasised the importance of the buddy system as a key safety measure. "We always operate minimally in pairs to look out for one another," he said.
The successful operation was made possible by the coordinated efforts of responding teams from Tuas Fire Station and Bukit Batok Fire Station.
"While we operated on the fire floor, our colleagues from Tuas Fire Station and Bukit Batok Fire Station maintained the water supply and managed operations on the ground, allowing us to focus on the rescue and firefighting," CPL Hanif said.
Commending the EMS crew who attended to the casualties, LTA Shahiran added, "Getting the occupants out of harm's way is only one part of the operation. Assessing them and providing quality medical care afterwards is equally important.”
(From left) SGT3 Garry Ong Wee Kiat, SGT2 Nilofar Barvin Binte Abu Bakar, LCP Muhammad Danish Akid Bin Aizam, LCP Woo De Liang, WO1 Siti Nur Sakinah Binte Tamzin, and SGT3 Vickneswaren S/O Murugasu. (Not in photo) SGT3 Muhammad Syafiq Amin Bin Asni, SGT3 Dedy Irianto Bin Muhd Rafe, and LCP Mohamed Noor Azizi Mohamed Naseer. The Emergency Medical Services crew from Jurong Fire Station gave prompt medical treatment to the casualties and conveyed them to the hospital. PHOTO: JURONG FIRE STATION
For the crew, the successful rescue reaffirmed their commitment to SCDF’s lifesaving mission.
"An operation is successful when we save lives and everyone goes home safely. Moments like these remind us why we wear the uniform,” LTA Shahiran said.
Under the command of Rota Commander LTA Muhammad Thaftazzani Bin Mohamad Tayib (top photo, third from right) and Deputy Rota Commander LTA Muhammad Shahiran Bin Abd Rahim (bottom photo, second from left), the team moved swiftly and decisively to rescue two trapped occupants and extinguish the fire. PHOTO: SCDF
LTA Thaftazzani reflected on the professionalism his crew had demonstrated.
“It was a morale booster for the Rota, and it showed that their training and professionalism have paid off. Kudos to each of them for their hard work and bravery,” LTA Thaftazzani said. “It was also a collective effort from Tuas Fire Station, Bukit Batok Fire Station, the EMS crew, and the Singapore Police Force, who helped to evacuate residents and identify those requiring medical attention. Everyone played an important part.”
For SGT2 Malhar, a National Serviceman (NSF), the operation is one he will always remember. "As NSFs, it's a great responsibility to be on the frontline. Being able to put our training into practice and save lives is a fulfilling experience that I will remember for a lifetime,” he said with a smile.