46-year-old woman arrested after fire breaks out at Tampines flat, 3 injured

A 46-year-old woman has been arrested for setting fire to the metal gate and door of a Housing and Development Board (HDB) flat at Block 240, Tampines Street 21 on Wednesday (Nov 15) at around 6.30am.

Three Malaysians living in the affected flat - Two air stewardess and a female engineer - were conveyed to Changi General Hospital to be treated for smoke inhalation, while over 30 residents were evacuated. 

A resident who stayed on the same floor, Ms Ye, 32, told Lianhe Wanbao that she had awakened to noises which sounded like glass shattering at around 6.30am.

Not long after, she heard the crackling of the fire and when she looked outside using the door peephole, she discovered a neighbouring unit was engulfed in flames. 

Ms Ye added: "I was in shock.

"I immediately roused my family members and we escaped. We also warned our neighbours about the fire and asked them to evacuate."

In response to media queries, a police spokesman said that the three victims are between 19 and 31 years old, and were conveyed to Changi General Hospital for treatment.

According to The Straits Times, the suspect was arrested within 10 hours of the report. 

Preliminary investigation revealed that one of the tenants in the flat was an ex-tenant of the suspect who had moved out earlier. 

This caused the suspect to be disgruntled. 

The suspect will be charged with mischief by fire, and if found guilty, faces up to seven years’ jail and a fine.