2 electrical fires in 1 week: Firefighters carry 3 kids from burning flat in Sengkang

Two fires that broke out in Singapore last week were suspected to be of electrical origin.

On Friday (July 21), the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) was alerted to a fire at Block 618 Bedok Reservoir Road at about 3:40am, said SCDF in a Facebook post.

The fire involved a bedroom and part of the living room in a seventh-storey flat and was extinguished by SCDF with a water jet.

Two people, who evacuated from the flat before SCDF's arrival, were assessed by an SCDF paramedic for smoke inhalation.

One was taken to Singapore General Hospital and the other declined to be taken to the hospital.

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About 90 residents from the block were evacuated by the police and SCDF as a precautionary measure.

A preliminary investigation indicates that the fire was caused by an electrical origin in the bedroom.

Two days earlier on Wednesday, SCDF was alerted to a fire at Block 280B Sengkang East Avenue at about 2:45am.

The firefighters found the front gate locked when they arrived at the fourth-storey flat.

Section commander, Sergeant(1) Christopher Kai Treloar, 19, a full-time national serviceman, used a power saw to break it open, reported The Straits Times.

Another firefighter, Sergeant(3) Rafiqi Hilman, 25, rushed in and heard screams for help.

He said: “I followed the screams and realised it was coming from one of the bedrooms. They were all huddled near the window and shaking in fear.”

He saw a couple and their three children – a two-year-old boy, and girls aged nine and 12 – huddling together as the fire raged in the kitchen.

He knelt in front of the two older children and reassured them in a calm voice that he would rescue them. He then carried both girls, one under each arm, out with their mother following closely behind.

Meanwhile, Staff Sergeant Ahmed Haliim Khan, 33, was trying to calm down the frantic father and convince him to hand over his two-year-old son.

He then carried the boy out of the flat, followed by the father.

The family was taken to Singapore General Hospital for smoke inhalation. One of the parents also sustained minor burn injuries.

About 50 residents from the affected block were evacuated by the police and SCDF as a precautionary measure.

Staff Sergeant Ahmed, who has two sons, a two-year-old and a six-month-old, was grateful when he got home late and hugged his children.

He said: “How I carried the boy out of the fire was how I carried my sons, and it made me treasure my family so much more.”

Among the firefighters are (from left) Sergeant(3) Rafiqi Hilman, Staff Sergeant Ahmed Haliim Khan, Warrant officer(2) Muhammad Himmi bin Ibrahim, Major Othman Sharif, Lieutenant Teo Kang Xiang, Corporal (NSF) Aaron Tay Hong Jun, Sergeant(1) (NSF) Christopher Kai Treloar. Photo: Lianhe Zaobao

A preliminary investigation indicates that the fire is likely caused by an electrical origin in the kitchen.

Here are some good practices to prevent electrical fires:

• Never overload electrical outlets with electrical appliances.
• Always switch off electrical appliances when not in use.
• Check the condition of wires regularly. Wires that are frayed or cracked should be replaced or repaired immediately.
• Do not run wires under carpets or mats and keep wires away from hot surfaces.
• Use appliances and electrical plugs bearing the Safety Mark. The categories of appliances can be found at www.consumerproductsafety.gov.sg
• Do not leave batteries or devices charging unattended for an extended period of time or overnight.