SINGAPORE — A fire at an HDB flat in Lorong Lew Lian turned deadly on Tuesday (Sept 1), after firefighters found an unconscious man inside the third-floor unit.
The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) was alerted to the blaze at Block 8 Lorong Lew Lian in Upper Serangoon at about 2.45pm.
When emergency responders arrived, black smoke was seen billowing from a third-floor flat.
During firefighting operations, SCDF officers discovered an unconscious person in the living room. Firefighters brought him out of the unit and immediately began cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) before he was taken to Tan Tock Seng Hospital.
The man’s death was later confirmed by Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC MP and Speaker of Parliament Seah Kian Peng, who said the resident had been known to him for many years.
In a Facebook update, Seah described the death as “very unfortunate and sad” and said the resident, whom he described as friendly, would be missed.
He also thanked SCDF officers for their swift response and residents who came together to assist those affected by the fire.
Three others taken to hospital
The incident also left three other people requiring medical attention.
According to SCDF, one person was assessed for smoke inhalation, while two others experienced breathlessness. They were taken to Singapore General Hospital and Tan Tock Seng Hospital.
As a precaution, about 30 residents were evacuated from the affected block by SCDF and police officers.
SCDF said the fire involved contents in the flat’s living room and was extinguished using one water jet.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
Neighbours describe a heavily cluttered flat
Further details reported by Lianhe Zaobao offered additional context about the unit, although these details have not been presented by SCDF as the confirmed cause of the fire.
According to the Chinese-language newspaper, neighbours said the flat contained a large amount of accumulated belongings and that the resident lived alone.
One neighbour reportedly said she had previously raised concerns about the amount of clutter in the unit, while authorities had at one point carried out a clean-up.
The report also said the resident was believed to have regularly used candles for lighting, leading some neighbours to suspect that a candle could have been involved in the fire.
However, this remains speculation. SCDF has not confirmed that a candle caused the blaze, and the official cause is still under investigation.
The fire reportedly also affected items along the common corridor, including a personal mobility device, according to Lianhe Zaobao.
Fatal HDB fires raise fresh safety concerns
The Lorong Lew Lian incident comes after several fatal residential fires in Singapore in recent weeks.
CNA reported that a 70-year-old man died after a fire at Block 39 Circuit Road on July 28, while another fatal fire occurred at Block 309 Clementi Avenue 4 three days later.
On Aug 5, an 88-year-old man died two days after a fire at Block 684 Race Course Road, while another fatal residential fire in Jurong East on Aug 16 claimed the life of a 67-year-old man.
The latest incident therefore adds to a troubling series of fatal residential fires reported in Singapore since late July.
Investigation continues
For now, authorities have not established what started the Lorong Lew Lian fire.
What is confirmed is that emergency crews responded after black smoke was spotted from the third-floor unit, an unconscious man was rescued and given CPR, three other people required hospital treatment, and around 30 residents were evacuated as a precaution.
The investigation into the cause of the fire is ongoing.
For residents in high-rise housing, the incident is another stark reminder that a fire inside one flat can quickly become a danger to an entire block—particularly when smoke spreads through shared corridors and escape routes.
WWC ONE MEDIA MJE
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