One person taken to hospital after fire breaks out in Punggol HDB flat

SINGAPORE: One person was taken to hospital and 60 others evacuated after a fire broke out in a Housing and Development Board (HDB) flat in Punggol on Sunday (Jan 26).

Firefighters were called to Block 224A Sumang Lane at about 5.05am after reports of a fire. Black smoke was emitting from a unit on the seventh floor.

The fire, which involved a bedroom, was extinguished by the firefighters, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said in a Facebook post.

One person was assessed by a paramedic for smoke inhalation and taken to Singapore General Hospital.

Four people in the flat had evacuated before the firefighters' arrival.

Another 60 people from neighbouring units were also evacuated by the police and SCDF as a precautionary measure.

Preliminary findings indicate that the fire had likely started from an electrical source in the bedroom, said SCDF.

It reminded people not to overload power sockets with electrical appliances and to switch them off when they are not in use.

People should also check wires regularly, and frayed wires should be replaced or repaired immediately, said SCDF.

Wires should not run under carpets or mats, and they should be kept away from hot surfaces.

People should also use appliances and electrical plugs with the Safety Mark. Batteries and devices should not be left to charge unattended for an extended period of time or overnight.