Singapore—A 16-year-old has emerged as a hero of a family affected by a fire at a Housing and Development Board flat in Whampoa on Sunday morning (Feb 28).
The teen picked up his infant niece and ran out the door with his 18-year-old sister, according to a report in 8world.
Several of the family members escaped the fire uninjured, but the mother and stepfather, who had to jump out the window to escape the flames, suffered some injuries.
The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said in a Facebook post on Sunday afternoon that it had been alerted to a fire at Block 22 Jalan Tenteram.
“The fire was raging and had engulfed a residential unit on the second floor. Six occupants from the affected unit had self-evacuated prior to SCDF’s arrival,” the post read.
When SCDF officers arrived, they found two family members on the ground. A paramedic and crew from the SCDF’s Emergency Medical Services attended to them, while firefighters put out the flames with the use of a water jet and two compressed air foam backpacks.
Ten people, including three children, were taken to hospitals for treatment of smoke inhalation and other injuries.
Around 100 people from the HDB block were also temporarily evacuated, even though only a few units beside, above, and below the unit sustained heat and smoke damages.
The SCDF added that the source of the fire was of electrical origin from the living room.
8world added that none of the family members are in any danger from injuries sustained in the fire.
One family member, 23-year-old Haiqal, who spoke to 8world, was not at home at the time of the fire. He had been out on a food delivery round.
He said that his sister had woken up and seen the fire, as she had been right beside its point of origin.
And while endeavours had been made to put it out, the fire spread throughout the flat.
His sister and his 16-year-old brother carrying the three-month-old niece were able to run out the door, but it was too late for their 15-year-old brother, mother, and stepfather. They jumped out the window to get to safety.
Mr Haiqal talked to 8world about the injuries his mother and stepdad sustained, saying his mother, who suffers from asthma, had hurt her neck and ankle when she jumped out the window. She also had bruises and cuts from her fall.
His stepdad also had lacerations from the fall and was limping afterwards.
The two were taken to Singapore General Hospital, where they will be kept for two to three days.
The younger members of the family were taken to KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital.
Another 22-year-old brother was not home at the time of the fire.
(Photos from the SCDF Facebook post.)
/TISG