Skip to main content

Advertisement

Advertisement

Fire at Parry Ave house leaves 2 dead

SINGAPORE — First she heard what sounded like two loud explosions, startling her out of her sleep.

Follow TODAY on WhatsApp

SINGAPORE — First she heard what sounded like two loud explosions, startling her out of her sleep. 

Sensing something was amiss, homemaker Brenda Tham made her way out of her house and, to her horror, saw a house two doors away engulfed in flames.

“All the neighbours were out. It was chaotic,” said Mrs Tham, 57, adding that she could feel waves of intense heat even from across the road.

The fire at the house on Parry Avenue, off Yio Chu Kang Road, burnt through the roof and left two of its occupants dead. Parts of the roof collapsed, including the right side of a balcony roof.

Neighbours told reporters a multi-generational family lived in the house — a couple, their two children and the grandparents — with their two domestic workers. It is understood that the two who died in the fire are the grandmother and a visitor who was staying with them at the time. Their bodies were found on the second floor.

Six of the occupants managed to get out of the burning house before the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) arrived, and two had to be helped out by the SCDF. Neighbours said the gates, which are electronically controlled, appeared to be malfunctioning and could not open, so occupants had to climb out.

Five of them, including one of the children, suffered smoke inhalation and were brought to Singapore General Hospital for treatment. A firefighter also suffered heat exhaustion while trying to put out the flames, said the SCDF, which responded to the call at about 3am.

The fire was brought under control after half an hour, but it was not fully extinguished until about 4.30am, said the SCDF. The police are still investigating the cause of the fire.

Neighbour Alan Tan said he heard one of the men who fled the house telling a police officer that the fire could have been started by a mobile phone charger that blew. The 57-year-old, who lives three doors away, said he had smelt burning rubber and saw an orange light outside his window.

Aljunied GRC Member of Parliament Sylvia Lim visited some of the residents at around 2.45pm. “I have already spoken to the family and conveyed my wishes,” said Ms Lim. 

Grassroots leaders from Serangoon Citizens’ Consultative Committee (CCC) also came by to offer help.

“We’re here as friends to help them in whatever way we can, especially emotionally,” said branch chair Chan Hui Yuh, who has organised the buying of new school books and uniforms to replace those lost in the blaze for the two children in Primary 4 and 6.

Ms Chan also commended the neighbours of Parry Avenue for their kindness. “Definitely on this street you can see the concern, people coming out to see if they can help,” she said.

One such resident is Ms Jane Tan. Ms Tan, who lives on the same street, said she saw one of the boys sitting on the street as the fire raged. Feeling sorry for him, she offered to take care of him.

“He seemed in need of help, so I went over and asked his parents whether we could help take care of him. His mother appeared quite frantic at the time, so she said okay. So I brought the boy over to my house, and tried to comfort him,” said Ms Tan, who is in her 50s. She also opened her home to his parents. “I’m just trying to do my part to help. After all, we are neighbours,” she said

Read more of the latest in

Advertisement

Advertisement

Stay in the know. Anytime. Anywhere.

Subscribe to get daily news updates, insights and must reads delivered straight to your inbox.

By clicking subscribe, I agree for my personal data to be used to send me TODAY newsletters, promotional offers and for research and analysis.