Fire in Hougang HDB flat allegedly caused by mechanical crane, town council investigates

SINGAPORE: There was a recent report where a ground floor of an HDB flat located in Hougang, where building materials were stored, caught fire which caused black smoke to rise up to about 13 storeys high and resulted in people being hospitalised due to smoke inhalation. 

The chairman of the Bedok Reservoir-Punggol branch suspected that the fire was caused by a mechanical crane, and that the Town Council would send people to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the situation. 

According to further investigations reported by 8world, the crane involved was used by a contractor from the Town Council. It was really fortunate that the fire did not spread to other floors, but several residents required medical assistance due to the accident. 

Furthermore, the authorities expressed their sincere gratitude to the people who stepped forward and helped with putting out the fire. They also declared that they will closely monitor the situation and ensure the safety of the residents and their community, as appropriate courses of action are now being implemented to fully understand the cause of the incident. 

According to 8world, the fire involved building materials stored on the ground floor, and police, with the help of the members of the public, used fire extinguishers to put out the fire before the Civil Defence Force arrived. 

Unfortunately, three people were taken to Singapore General Hospital because they needed medical assistance after inhaling too much smoke. 

Read more about the incident here.