Garbage bin caught fire at Punggol HDB Block caused by people smoking, sparking residents’ safety

SINGAPORE: A disturbing incident happened at a HDB block in Punggol when a recycling bin caught fire, prompting the Singapore Civil Defence Force to take action. 

As reported by Shin Min Daily News, a 37-year-old resident claimed that when he passed by the area at 8:20 in the morning last May 8, he saw several fire trucks and firefighters extinguishing the blaze. According to investigations, the fire started at approximately 7:55 in the morning. 

Fortunately, there were no other items near the recycling bin that might have caused the blaze to spread. 

What caused the accident? 

The resident revealed that the accident was allegedly caused by the people who were smoking nearby, or those who decided to throw their cigarette butts into the recycling bins. As seen in the photos shared by the resident, the blue recycling bin truly melted, and the contents of the bin were burned black. 

The authorities admitted that they had received the report and that members of the public were brave enough to assist in extinguishing the fire. Thankfully, no one was injured in the accident, and the true cause of the blaze is still under investigation. 

Other related news 

In similar news related to fire accidents in Singapore, there was a recent report where a 32-year-old Malaysian man pleaded guilty to arson after setting fire to a debtor’s home for a promised payment of S$2,500.

This incident had put a family of seven at risk, in an HDB unit occupied by a 41-year-old man, his wife, their two children aged nine and three, his parents, and his sister.

Read more about the news story here.