2 people taken to hospital, 80 evacuated from Ghim Moh HDB block after fire engulfs flat

SINGAPORE — Two people were taken to hospital and about 80 were evacuated from a public housing block in Ghim Moh on Friday (Oct 8) morning after a fire broke out at a flat there. 

The police told TODAY that the two women, aged 36 and 81, were unconscious when taken to hospital. 

Based on early investigations, the police do not suspect foul play but said that investigations were under way. 

The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said that it was alerted to a fire at about 10.05am at Block 13 Ghim Moh Road, which is in the Queenstown estate. 

“The fire involved the contents of a living room in a unit on the 14th floor,” SCDF said.

This is the second fire to engulf a government-built flat in the space of eight hours on Friday.

SCDF said that its firefighters forced their way into the Ghim Moh flat and put out the flames with a water jet.

Before firefighters arrived, three people evacuated themselves.

The two women were taken to the Singapore General Hospital for smoke inhalation. Another person was assessed for smoke inhalation but did not want to go to the hospital.

The cause of the fire is being investigated.

Earlier in the day, at about 2.25am, SCDF was alerted to another fire that broke out at a flat at Block 978 Jurong West Street 93.

One person died and another occupant suffered burn injuries. Two others were rescued from a ledge outside the unit.

Early investigations showed that the fire was of an “electrical origin” from a personal mobility device.