50 people evacuated after fire breaks out at Tanjong Pagar Plaza

SINGAPORE: About 50 people were evacuated from Tanjong Pagar Plaza on Friday (Jun 30) after a fire broke out in a flat there.

The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) was alerted to the fire at Block 4 Tanjong Pagar Plaza at about 2.15pm and firefighters extinguished the blaze with a water jet.

An occupant of the affected unit evacuated prior to SCDF's arrival

"The fire involved contents of a bedroom in a unit on the fifth floor," SCDF said.

"As a precautionary measure, the police and SCDF evacuated about 50 people from the affected premises." 

While no injuries were reported initially, SCDF said later that it had taken a resident from a neighbouring unit to hospital.

A preliminary investigation indicated that the fire was likely to have been of electrical origin. 

A resident of a neighbouring block told CNA the fire was "super big" and that SCDF firefighters arrived on the scene quickly.

She also reported "hearing metallic sounds" and detected a "chemical smell" before the blaze.

"I went around to check if my block got fire," she said.

To prevent electrical fires, SCDF said that members of the public should take heed of the following guidelines. 

• Do not overload electrical outlets with electrical appliances.
• Always switch off appliances when they are not in use.
• Check appliances for frayed wires or cracked cords. If observed, the appliance should be repaired or replaced. Do not use faulty appliances.
• Do not run wires under carpets or mats and keep wires away from hot surfaces.
• Use appliances and electrical plugs bearing the Safety Mark.
• Do not leave batteries or devices to charge unattended for an extended period of time or overnight.