Fire breaks out at Toa Payoh Industrial Park

SINGAPORE: A fire broke out at Toa Payoh Industrial Park on Thursday (May 9) evening, with the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) deploying multiple vehicles to the scene.

No injuries were reported other than a firefighter who experienced cramps in his legs. SCDF said the firefighter was taken to Tan Tock Seng Hospital as a precautionary measure but did not require further treatment.

The fire was extinguished in about one-and-a-half hours before SCDF 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.

Firefighters used six water jets and one unmanned firefighting machine, said SCDF in a Facebook post shortly after 12.30am on Friday. A total of 15 emergency vehicles and about 60 firefighters were deployed.

SCDF said it is investigating the cause of the fire.

When CNA arrived at the scene at about 9.50pm – when three SCDF fire trucks were already present – initial observations suggested the fire involved a tyre shop near the junction of Toa Payoh Industrial Park and Lorong 8 Toa Payoh.

An SMS alert sent at 10.59pm by the Ministry of Home Affairs to residents nearby indicated a "fire incident" at unit #01-1371, the address for Kian Aik Machinery, a construction equipment company.

At 11.10pm, flames could no longer be seen. A thick haze lingered in the air, accompanied by a strong smell of plastic and rubber.

SCDF said the fire had been about four basketball courts in size and involved two units – a car workshop and an industrial workshop.

The blaze was contained to these two units, said SCDF.

Dozens of residents from nearby flats had gathered in the area as they could smell the smoke from their homes. They were told by police to steer clear of the area.

A resident from the nearby Block 12 Lorong 7 Toa Payoh told CNA he had returned home and smelled burning rubber and soon realised the smell did not come from his block.

The man, who wanted to be identified only as Wis, said he was a lifeguard and offered his assistance to the officers at the scene. 

CNA also spoke to a family who had rushed down from their home in Hougang after being alerted to a fire near their shop.

Terry, whose mother Shirlyn owns a cleaning supplies shop, said his mother was anxious and distraught. While there was no one in the shop, there were some valuables there, he told CNA.

He believes they have fire insurance for the unit and said he and his mother would stay on at the scene until the fire was put out.