Fire breaks out at Eunos industrial area, three workshops affected

SINGAPORE: A fire broke out at an industrial building in Eunos on Tuesday night (Apr 2), with dozens of firefighters deployed to the scene. 

The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) was alerted to the fire at Block 1049, Eunos Avenue 6, at about 9.15pm.

The industrial estate is close to Geylang Serai market and several shopping malls in Paya Lebar. 

The fire affected three units along a row of terrace workshops and involved building materials and office equipment, SCDF said in a Facebook update at about 2am on Wednesday. 

A firefighter was assessed for smoke inhalation and taken to Singapore General Hospital "as a precautionary measure", it added.

"Once the fire was under control, firefighters equipped with breathing apparatus proceeded cautiously into the smoke-logged units to locate the seat of fire," SCDF said.

"Firefighters had to exercise extreme caution as the roof of one of the units had collapsed."

As a result of the blaze, two adjacent units sustained heat and smoke damage.

Videos on social media showed flames and a column of thick black smoke rising from the area.

A total of 19 emergency vehicles and about 70 firefighters were deployed, SCDF said, adding that firefighters had used nine water jets, an aerial water monitor and an unmanned firefighting machine to tackle the blaze.

Members of the public were advised to avoid the area. A message urging people to stay away from the area was earlier sent to SGSecure mobile app users, as well as M1, StarHub and Singtel mobile subscribers within the immediate vicinity of the fire.

The fire was extinguished in about four hours and firefighters started damping down operations.

This refers to pouring water on burnt surfaces immediately after a fire has been put out, so as to ensure that deep-seated embers are fully extinguished to prevent any rekindling of the fire.

When CNA arrived at the scene at around 10.45pm, two traffic police officers were seen standing at the corner of Eunos Ave 5, directing vehicles away from the area.

The area surrounding the industrial block had been cordoned off and at least eight SCDF and police vehicles were at the scene. 

An owner of a manufacturing firm, which has a unit in the affected industrial block, was at the scene. She told CNA that she was anxiously waiting for updates.

When she arrived at the industrial area at around 9.30pm, the fire had not affected her unit but appeared to be “spreading fast”, she said.

The area around the affected block was soon cordoned off at about 9.45pm.

The owner, who only wished to be known as Ms Lin, said she was “very worried” about the fire as the units in the industrial block comprise manufacturing firms and storage spaces of various wooden products, making the block “very flammable”.

“All my goods are in there. I just want to understand the situation right now,” she said.

This was the first of two industrial estate fires in a night. Firefighters were called to a blaze at Defu Lane industrial estate at about 12.20am on Wednesday morning.

Additional reporting by Tang See Kit.