2 people taken to hospital after fire breaks out at Ghim Moh Link flat

SINGAPORE — Two people were taken to hospital after a fire broke out in a Housing and Development Board (HDB) flat at Ghim Moh Link on Wednesday (Aug 16) morning.

In a Facebook post, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said that it was alerted to the fire at Block 28, Ghim Moh Link at about 7.35am.

SCDF said that upon the arrival of its firefighters, the fire was raging inside a unit on the 36th floor, and an occupant from the unit had already evacuated. 

“The fire had engulfed the entire unit. SCDF firefighters from Clementi Fire Station and Alexandra Fire Station extinguished the fire with two water jets,” SCDF said in the post.

About 60 occupants from the affected block were evacuated by the police as a precautionary measure.

Of the two persons taken to the National University Hospital, one had sustained smoke inhalation while the other had sustained minor cuts and was taken there as a precautionary measure.

At about 8.25am, Member of Parliament (MP) for Holland-Bukit Timah Group Representation Constituency, Mr Christopher de Souza, posted a video of the fire on his Facebook page, saying that the SCDF was at the scene of the incident.

Mr de Souza, whose constituency includes Ghim Moh Link, later updated his post to say that he had met with the affected family and neighbours of the block, adding that all the residents were safe except for one who is recovering from smoke inhalation.

“I will work closely with HDB to see how we can assist the families with alternative accommodation as the repair works commence,” Mr de Souza said.

Pictures posted on Facebook by user "GF Pat" at 8.30am showed thick plumes of smoke coming out of the flat's window as the fire raged in the unit.

The cause of the fire is under investigation, SCDF added.