Latest news with #TomatoCookingSchool
AsiaOne
29-04-2025
- General
- AsiaOne
Mum cries while thanking migrant workers who saved daughter, 6, from River Valley fire, Singapore News
Migrant workers Chinnappa Kannadasan and Govindaraj Elangeshwaran were among a group of workers at River Valley Road on April 8 when a fire broke out at enrichment centre Tomato Cooking School. They sprang into action, rushing to rescue 15 children and six adults using a ladder and scaffold from their work site — by passing the children one by one to the workers — before firefighters from the Singapore Civil Defence Force arrived. To honour the 15 workers for their bravery and efforts, an appreciation event was held on April 20 by non-profit organisation Its Raining Raincoats at their charity store on Henderson Road, which was attended by many parents whose kids were saved from the fire. English publication Tabla! reported on April 24 that among the parents was Liu Ling, who cried in gratitude when she met the workers who rescued her six-year-old daughter from the fire. The 47-year-old, whose daughter is among the youngest children to survive the blaze, said the workers told her that her daughter was unconscious when they rescued her from the third storey of the shophouse. "My daughter is lucky to have had so many heroes here from India and Bangladesh who saved her life," she added. Victor Ordenes, 45, whose six-year-old daughter was also rescued from the fire, told the men that they have "changed [their] lives". Kannadasan, 32, recounted: "Teachers and children were crying out for help. We had no second thoughts. We had to try and rescue them." The workers were presented with clothes, cash envelopes, goodie bags and home-baked brownies. Elangeshwaran, 28, also expressed sadness over the passing of Australian national Freya Ji Tinan, 10, who died in the fire. "We were very happy to meet the children we rescued. But, at the same time, we are sad that we could not rescue that one girl who passed away." [[nid:717354]]
New Paper
25-04-2025
- General
- New Paper
Tears of gratitude: Mother meets migrant workers who saved daughter from fire
Tears rolled down the cheeks of Madam Liu Ling as she met the migrant workers who rescued her six-year-old daughter from a fire at a River Valley Road shophouse on April 8. The 47-year-old said: "They (the migrant workers) told me my daughter was unconscious when they rescued her from the third-storey ledge. My daughter is lucky to have had so many heroes here from India and Bangladesh to save her life." Madam Liu and her husband were at an event that brought together 15 migrant workers and families of the children they rescued. Twenty-one people were injured in the blaze - 15 children and six adults. Madam's Liu's daughter was a participant in the Tomato Cooking School's five-day cooking camp when the fire broke out. "My daughter is among the youngest ones to survive the blaze. It is a very serious accident. I can't imagine such an accident happening in Singapore," Madam Liu added. The informal get-together was organised by ItsRainingRaincoats, a charity for migrant workers, and held at their charity store at Henderson Road on April 20. One of the rescuers was Mr Chinnappa Kannadasan, 32, who was at the top of a ladder used in the rescue. He passed the children one by one to other migrant workers involved in the rescue. They had used a scaffold from their work site and a ladder to reach those trapped, before firefighers from the Singapore Civil Defence Force arrived. "Teachers and children were crying out for help. We had no second thoughts. We had to try and rescue them," he said Mr Victor Ordenes, 45, whose six-year-old daughter was one of those rescued, spoke to the workers. "If not for you guys, our daughter wouldn't be with us. You have changed our lives." His wife Rebecca said: "It makes me quite emotional thinking what could have happened if not for these men." Ms Monica Millington, 34, a young mother was also deeply moved. "Knowing there were strangers willing to risk their lives to help others reminds us that we should be kind to others and help others when we can. I want to show these heroes that their efforts are recognised," she said. She presented each of the migrant workers with shirts and pants from her men's wear business. Others gave them cash envelopes, goodie bags and even home-baked brownies While the migrant workers were touched by the show of appreciation, they shared their sadness over the death of Australian national Freya Ji Yinan, 10, who died in the fire. Mr Govindaraj Elangeshwaran, 28, one of the migrant workers, said: "We were very happy to meet the children we rescued. But, at the same time, we are sad that we could not rescue that one girl who passed away."
The Independent
10-04-2025
- General
- The Independent
Australian girl dies as fire erupts in Singapore cooking class
A fire broke out in a three-storey building in Singapore on Tuesday morning, killing a 10-year-old Australian girl and injuring 21 others, including several young children. The building, located on the River Valley Road in central Singapore, housed the Tomato Cooking School, where children from international schools were attending holiday classes. Video footage showed children stranded on a ledge of the shophouse as thick black smoke poured from the windows. Passersby, including a Bangladeshi construction worker, helped rescue them using scaffolding and ladders. Firefighters controlled the blaze, which started at about 9.45am local time, within 30 minutes. The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) reported that flames had engulfed the second and third floors of the building before firefighters were able to bring the blaze under control within 30 minutes. 'Members of the public, including construction workers, used metal scaffolding and a ladder to reach those stranded and brought a number of them to safety,' the force said in a statement posted on Facebook. Shakil Mohammad, a construction worker from Bangladesh who helped with the rescue, told The Straits Times that some of the children were on the verge of jumping from the building. 'The children wanted to jump. I told them, 'Don't jump! I will help you',' Mr Mohammad said. The Australian government confirmed the girl's death and is providing consular support to her family. 'The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) is providing consular assistance to the family of an Australian who died in Singapore,' said a DFAT spokesperson, according to 7News. 'We send our deepest condolences to the family at this difficult time. Owing to our privacy obligations, we are unable to provide further comment,' they added. According to police, 22 people were taken to hospital – six adults aged between 23 and 55, and 16 children between six and 10 years old. Around 80 people were evacuated from the shophouse and nearby buildings, local media said. Besides the cooking school, the building also houses a theatre group and a robotics school, according to Channel News Asia. The cause of the fire is under investigation, with initial reports pointing out that the fire could have started in the second-floor storage area. The cooking school expressed sorrow and added that they were cooperating with authorities. 'We are deeply saddened and shocked by the fire that occurred at the shophouse,' the school said. 'Our thoughts are with all the families and individuals affected during this difficult time.' The statement added: 'The circumstances that led to the fire are currently under investigation by the relevant authorities. We are providing our full cooperation and assistance with the ongoing investigation.' 9 News Australia reported that there were a number of compliance issues with the building and only the first floor of the building was approved for use.
Yahoo
10-04-2025
- Yahoo
Aussie girl, 10, dies in horror fire
A 10-year old Australian girl has died after a fire tore through a building in Singapore. The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) rushed to the three-storey shophouse on River Valley Road in the city centre, where a fire was raging on the second and third floors of the Tomato Cooking School at about 9.45am on Tuesday. The SCDF reported construction workers and members of the public used scaffolding and a ladder to try and reach several children who were stranded on a ledge outside the third floor unit to bring them to safety. The firefighters deployed ladders to rescue the remaining people who were stranded on the ledge outside the burning building, while another group went inside to the second and third floors to fight the fire. 'The fire was extinguished with three water jets within 30 minutes,' an SDCF spokesman said. About 80 people from the shop house and nearby buildings were evacuated by police and firefighters. At least five adults and 15 children were rushed to hospital. The 10-year old Australian girl was one of the people rushed to hospital, but died from her injuries. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) confirmed the girl was an Australian citizen on Wednesday. '(DFAT) is providing consular assistance to the family of an Australian who died in Singapore,' a spokesperson said in a statement to 7 News. 'We send our deepest condolences to the family at this difficult time.' A SDCF spokesman thanked members of the public who helped rescue those stranded in the burning building 'for their quick actions and bravery'. The civil defence force is investigating the cause of the fire, with preliminary findings identifying it likely originated from an area used for storage on the second storey of the building. The Tomato Cooking School has released a statement saying they were deeply saddened and shocked by the fire that occurred at the shophouse. 'Our thoughts are with all the families and individuals affected during this difficult time,' the statement read. 'The circumstances that led to the fire is currently under investigation by the relevant authorities. We are providing our full co-operation and assistance with the ongoing investigation. 'We cannot express our sadness in words for the affected families and what they are going through. If we can provide any support or assistance, please feel free to reach out to us.'
