4 days ago
Two dead after Bukit Merah HDB fire on 13 Aug; over 60 residents evacuated
SINGAPORE: Two people have died following a fire in a Bukit Merah Housing and Development Board flat on 13 August, which also prompted the evacuation of more than 60 residents.
The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said in a Facebook post that the incident occurred at Block 106 Jalan Bukit Merah at about 4pm.
Firefighters arriving at the scene found the living room and bedroom of a fourth-floor unit ablaze.
The fire was put out using a water jet, SCDF added.
Video footage shared on TikTok showed thick smoke billowing from the affected unit, with firefighters raising a ladder to reach the flat.
According to SCDF, two unresponsive persons were found in the kitchen during firefighting operations.
They were rescued and taken immediately to Singapore General Hospital.
Police told Chinese-language daily Lianhe Zaobao that the victims, a 34-year-old man and a 32-year-old woman, were unconscious upon arrival at hospital and later died from their injuries.
Two other people from neighbouring units were also taken to hospital — one for smoke inhalation and the other after feeling unwell.
About 60 residents were evacuated from the block by police and SCDF as a precautionary measure during the incident.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation, SCDF said.
Police stated that preliminary investigations do not indicate foul play, but inquiries are ongoing.
