SINGAPORE, Dec 9 (NNN-XINHUA) – Fifty people were evacuated, following a fire that broke out this morning, in a residential block in eastern Singapore, authorities said.
The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) reported that, it was alerted to a fire at a Housing and Development Board (HDB) block, along Tampines Street, at about 6:40 a.m. (2240GMT, Sunday). In a Facebook post, the SCDF said that, upon their arrival, black smoke was seen emitting from a unit on the 13th floor.
Photos shared by the SCDF showed charred walls in a room and damage to the corridor outside the room. As a precaution, about 50 residents from neighbouring units were evacuated.
Two occupants of the affected unit evacuated before the SCDF’s arrival. They were assessed by an SCDF paramedic for smoke inhalation but declined to be sent to hospital.
The fire, which involved the contents of a bedroom, was extinguished. Investigations into the cause are underway.
HDB flats are public housing units, developed and managed by the HDB, Singapore’s public housing authority. Known for their affordability and community-centric design, they are now home to more than 80 percent of Singapore’s population.– NNN-XINHUA
