SCDF to take action after fire safety breaches found outside Serangoon flat that had sauna

SINGAPORE: The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) will take enforcement action after several other fire safety infringements were found along the common corridor of the Serangoon flat that had a sauna outside.

The wooden structure had already been dismantled by the time SCDF officers inspected the area at Block 427, Serangoon Central, but other violations were detected. Checks by CNA on Jul 11 found that items such as potted plants and a sofa remained in the common area.

In response to CNA's query, SCDF said on Tuesday (Jul 16) that it would be following up with enforcement action against "the responsible person or entity".

Although SCDF did not name the person responsible for the corridor clutter, neighbours indicated to CNA last week that the items, including the sauna, belonged to a woman in her 50s or 60s.

The sauna and other items were located at a lift landing leading to the woman's flat, while the row of plants was along a common corridor outside her unit.

One neighbour, who only wanted to be known as Mr Lim, commented that the leaves from the plants along the corridor would blow over to his unit.

SCDF said it received public feedback on Jul 10 regarding the sauna at Block 427.

Photos of the wooden structure – placed on a metal platform outside the owner's house – went viral after they were uploaded on social media platform Reddit earlier that week.

When CNA visited on the morning of Jul 11, the sauna was still present but appeared to have had some features removed. 

The wooden structure, visible from the lift landing, looked to be in disuse and was not connected to an electricity source.

At about 2.40pm, the wooden cabin had already been dismantled and moved to the ground floor by town council staff.

In response to CNA, Marine Parade Town Council said that it had been engaging the owner to reduce the clutter outside her unit over the years, and that she had "made some effort in doing so".

Neighbours noted that while the sauna had been present for a long time, it did not pose an inconvenience.

POTTED PLANTS, SOFA, CABINET

After the sauna was removed, numerous potted plants, a sofa and a wooden cabinet remained in the common area outside the owner's flat. 

Dozens of potted plants were arranged in a row along the common corridor under the owner's window, while more were seen at a staircase landing leading down from her flat. 

SCDF said it acted on public feedback and conducted an inspection on Jul 11. 

Two officers arrived shortly after the sauna's removal and were observed taking measurements of the corridor's width and photos of the area. They declined to speak to the media.

"During the inspection, the sauna-like structure was found to have been removed. However, several other fire safety infringements were detected including storage of items along the common corridor which resulted in obstruction to means of escape via the staircases," SCDF said. 

According to regulations, residents are supposed to ensure a minimum clear escape passage of 1.2m along the common corridor. They are also not supposed to place items in common areas such as lift lobbies and staircases.

When CNA visited again on Tuesday (Jul 16) evening, two parts of the common area had been cordoned off with red-and-white tape. Pieces of furniture had been removed, while other furniture were shifted around.

A sofa placed beside the unit's front door was replaced with cabinets that had been nearer to the staircase. A wooden cabinet that was originally beside the sauna was also missing.

A row of plants along the common corridor outside the unit was also removed, and nothing remained in the area, which was cordoned off by tape. 

Another section, leading from the lift landing to other units on the level, was also taped off. The areas demarcated by tape were empty and the flooring, which previously had scuff marks, appeared to have been redone. 

Neighbours said they did not know what the tape was for or when it was put up. Two people who had arrived on the floor appeared confused as the route to their units were blocked off. 

The tape was removed by a man wearing a Marine Parade Town Council shirt at about 7.32pm. 

The unit's occupant opened the door briefly, but did not respond to questions and shut the door.  

Marine Parade Town Council told CNA that it had been working very closely with the owner over the past few days, and had significantly cleared the clutter and cleared the corridor.

"We remain committed to futher tidying the common areas to ensure they remain unobstructed," it added.

On the cordoned-off areas, Marine Parade Town Council said that it applied a coating to the flooring once the items were removed. The areas had to be temporarily cordoned off to ensure the coating dries properly.

It added that the tape has since been removed as the coating has dried.  

"SCDF would like to remind the public that a cluttered common area can impede the evacuation of residents and hamper firefighting efforts during a fire," it said in its statement. 

"Residents are strongly encouraged to do their part to maintain a safe living environment by ensuring that their means of escape are unobstructed and that common areas in their premises are kept clutter free." 

It also advised residents to approach the town council to arrange for the removal of bulky items. 

Under the Fire Safety Act, the person or entity responsible for such fire safety infringements will be issued with a Fire Hazard Abatement Notice - a written warning to rectify the fire hazards. 

If the infringement is serious, a person could be issued with a Notice of Offence which carries a composition fine of up to S$5,000 (US$3,700) upon rectification of the fire hazard.

Those who fail to rectify the breach may be taken to court, where they may be fined up to S$10,000, jailed for up to six months, or both. 

Editor's note: This article has been updated to make it clear that while neighbours indicated that clutter along the common corridor belonged to the owner of the sauna structure, SCDF did not specify who they would be taking action against.