Medics treat 7 after Chai Chee block lift lobby blaze
In response to The Straits Times' queries, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said firefighters from Paya Lebar and Changi fire stations were alerted to the blaze at 52 Chai Chee Street at about 8am.
The fire was "well-alight" upon the firefighters' arrival and involved household items placed at the lift lobby, said SCDF. The fire was extinguished using one water jet.
Two units above the affected lift lobby had heat and soot damage, and 35 residents from the block were evacuated by the police and SCDF as a precautionary measure.
The seven people who were attended to declined to be taken to the hospital, said SCDF.
According to Chinese daily Lianhe Zaobao, the fire involved the burning of incense paper near some "miscellaneous" items. Lianhe Zaobao added that the fire affected power supply to the entire block.
In photos of the aftermath of the incident, a large amount of debris can be seen piled up in the lobby where the fire broke out, along with blackened pots, pans and charred wooden cabinets and chairs.
The home owner of the affected unit, a 66-year-old man who declined to be named, told Lianhe Zaobao that he was inside when his wife was burning incense paper outside their flat.
"She usually burns paper downstairs, but today, she ran to the corridor to burn it for some reason. I wanted to stop her, but it was too late," he reportedly said.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
SCDF advised the public to help maintain a safe living environment by keeping common corridors, lift lobbies and staircases free of clutter.
A cluttered corridor can increase the risk of fire spread, hinder evacuation efforts, and delay SCDF's response during an emergency, it added.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
4 hours ago
- Straits Times
Former Tibet Communist Party chief gets suspended death sentence over bribery
Find out what's new on ST website and app. FILE PHOTO: Wu Yingjie attends a news conference on the economic and social development of Tibet, in Beijing, China May 22, 2021. REUTERS/Martin Pollard/File Photo BEIJING – The former Communist Party head of Tibet was handed a suspended death sentence on July 16 for taking bribes worth almost US$50 million (S$64 million), a court in China has said. Wu Yingjie, who served as party secretary of the Tibet Autonomous Region from 2016 to 2021, illegally accepted bribes totalling more than US$47.8 million, an intermediate court in Beijing said in a statement on WeChat. The court said his crimes were 'particularly serious, the social impact particularly vile' and caused 'particularly heavy losses' for the country and people. President Xi Jinping has overseen a wide-ranging campaign against official corruption since coming to power more than a decade ago, with critics saying it also serves as a way to purge political rivals. The court said Wu used his official positions in the region stretching back to 2006 to give companies and individuals help on contracts and business operations. Wu was given a two-year reprieve after he pleaded guilty and confessed details of his actions that were previously unknown to the authorities, the court said. Suspended death sentences are typically converted to life imprisonment if the convict commits no further crimes during the reprieve period. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Over 600 Telegram groups in Singapore selling, advertising vapes removed by HSA Singapore Strong argument for cockpit video recording, says Iata chief in wake of Air India crash report Singapore Here comes the sun: Less rain, more warm days in second half of July Asia Former deputy minister seen as surprise front runner for Malaysia's next Chief Justice: Sources Singapore Baby died after mum took abortion pills and gave birth in toilet; coroner records an open verdict Business Tycoon Robert Kuok's daughter Kuok Hui Kwong appointed CEO of Shangri-La Asia Singapore Acute psychiatry services to be expanded across all healthcare clusters: MOH Singapore New network links Home Team psychologists, mental health bodies to boost emergency response Wu was expelled from the party in December over 'serious violations of discipline', a common euphemism in China for corruption. He was assigned to Tibet's department of education after graduating from university and rose through the ranks for about two decades. United Nations experts have raised alarm at Chinese government policies aimed at assimilating Tibetan people culturally, religiously and linguistically through the schools system. The US Treasury Department sanctioned Wu in 2022 over human rights violations in Tibet. AFP
AsiaOne
6 hours ago
- AsiaOne
Man in coma after SLE accident in June; had planned to register marriage next year , Singapore News
He was planning to register his marriage to his girlfriend next year, but an accident last month has left 32-year-old Malaysian Guo Jiahuang in a coma for about 20 days. Guo, who hails from Ipoh, was riding his motorcycle from Johor Bahru on the morning of June 25 to drop his girlfriend, Lin Yingying, 37, who works at a food factory in Singapore, when the accident occurred, Shin Min Daily News reported. The couple were on the Seletar Expressway (SLE) towards the Central Expressway (CTE) when two vehicles ahead of them collided. Unable to stop in time, Guo's motorcycle crashed and the couple were thrown off the bike. Both Lin and Guo were taken to Tan Tock Seng Hospital, confirmed the Singapore Civil Defence Force in a reply to AsiaOne's query. When contacted by AsiaOne, police stated that they were alerted to an accident involving two cars and a motorcycle along the SLE towards the CTE on on June 25, at about 5.15am. A 31-year-old male motorcyclist was taken to the hospital unconscious while his 37-year-old pillion rider was conscious when taken to hospital. According to police, a 30-year-old male car driver was arrested for drink-driving and careless driving without due care and attention. Police investigations are ongoing. In an interview with the Chinese evening daily, Lin said that Guo had just got a job at the factory where she was working and was waiting for his work permit to be issued. "I usually start work at 7am and he was taking me to work on the day of the accident," she added. Following the crash, Lin found Guo unconscious on the ground, and bleeding from his nose. When she gently removed his helmet, she noticed he was also bleeding from his ears. Lin suffered a fracture in her right hand and abrasions to her legs and back from the accident. She said that they had been dating for seven years and had planned to get married next year, but those plans are now up in the air. Guo's younger brother, Jiasheng, 31, told Shin Min that Guo had been working in Singapore since he was 19, and had always been in the F&B industry. He revealed that Guo had suffered a brain haemorrhage and had undergone two brain surgeries and another for a fractured right shoulder. Although he is in a coma, his condition had initially improved and he was moved to a general ward. But the family was informed last Wednesday that his condition had suddenly deteriorated, and he had to be transferred back to the Intensive Care Unit. Besides Guo's condition, financial worries are also weighing heavily on his family. Jiasheng told Shin Min that Guo's medical expenses currently total between $80,000 and $90,000, and added that although more than $30,000 has been paid so far, the looming bill has put the family in a difficult financial position. [[nid:720099]] candicecai@
AsiaOne
6 hours ago
- AsiaOne
'Be my boyfriend tonight': Sex workers allegedly soliciting customers near Orchard Road, Singapore News
A group of up to 30 women dressed in revealing clothes have reportedly been hanging out near Orchard Road at night allegedly soliciting business from male passers-by. They have been gathering outside Forum The Shopping Mall about three months ago, according to a tip-off sent to Shin Min Daily News. The anonymous informant claimed that the number of women loitering along the walkway would reach its peak at about 11pm. Most of them would stay till around 1am, with some supposedly staying until 4am. "At the most, there were between 20 to 30 of them, and it is a serious issue," he said. A reporter from the Chinese evening daily who visited the scene spotted about 10 sexily dressed women, believed to be between the ages of 20 and 40, sitting on benches or stairs along the street. The women would approach male passers-by and allegedly flirt with them, initiating physical contact and saying: "Be my boyfriend tonight." According to the reporter, both parties will agree on a price before walking to a nearby bus stop or taxi stand and leaving. The women mainly target foreign tourists. Some migrant workers who walk past also return, but leave after being unable to agree on a price, the report said. When the Shin Min reporter approached one of the women, she reportedly asked for the minimum amount he was willing to pay. She reportedly said that the "base price" starts from $200, and some even charge $350. She also asked where the reporter stayed and said they could go to a nearby hotel when he replied that it was inconvenient. The informant believes the open soliciting may affect Singapore's image, especially since Orchard Road is frequented by tourists. [[nid:687618]]
