Firefighters hauled hose up 8 floors after dry rising main failed in fatal Clementi fire

SINGAPORE: A dry rising main that was not working properly disrupted firefighting efforts during a fatal fire at a Clementi flat on Friday (Jul 31), forcing firefighters to switch to a contingency plan.

Responding to media queries, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF)  said on Sunday that firefighters responding to the blaze at Block 309 Clementi Avenue 4 found that the dry rising main was "not in proper working condition". This resulted in reduced water pressure that prevented water from being supplied effectively to the affected eighth floor.

A dry rising main is a vertical red-coloured pipe installed in buildings, which is charged with water from a fire engine to facilitate firefighting operations on the upper floors of the building.

“SCDF firefighters immediately set up hoses directly from the fire engine at ground level to the affected floor via the staircase,” SCDF said, adding that this is a contingency that firefighters regularly train for during routine drills.

SCDF said it is investigating the incident. It was alerted to the fire at about 11.10pm on Friday.

One person died and two firefighters suffered burn injuries during the operation.

During the operation, firefighters rescued a person trapped in the kitchen, who was taken to Ng Teng Fong General Hospital. The person later died.

The two firefighters were transported to Singapore General Hospital. One firefighter has since been discharged and is resting at home, SCDF said in a Facebook post update on Aug 1.

In response to CNA's queries, the Holland-Bukit Panjang Town Council said the dry rising main at the block had undergone its most recent servicing and annual pressure test on Mar 14 and was found to be in working order. It said the system is serviced every six months and pressure-tested annually.

The town council said its preliminary assessment indicated the drop in water pressure during the firefighting operation was caused by a "coupling securing a segment of the dry rising main being dislodged during the operation".

"We are committed to finding out how and why this happened," said the town council.

It added that the coupling has since been rectified, SCDF tested the system on Aug 2, and further tests will be carried out. The town council said it is cooperating with SCDF's investigation and will conduct additional checks on other blocks under its management.

In July 2025, investigations into a blaze in Toa Payoh that sent seven people to hospital revealed a faulty dry rising main that could have been caused by an underground pipe leak. The faulty dry rising main forced firefighters to haul hoses up 10 storeys to establish a water supply to fight the flames.