SINGAPORE - A fire broke out at a scrap metal yard in Defu Industrial Estate on Monday afternoon (March 19), damaging an area about the size of a basketball court.

The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said in a Facebook post that it was alerted to the fire at 9, Defu Lane 4, at about 1.50pm.

Photos and videos sent to The Straits Times show bright orange flames burning behind an industrial building, with thick plumes of smoke rising in the air. A few curious onlookers had also gathered near the scene.

The fire, which involved scrap metal, was put out by SCDF firefighters using two foam jets and a monitor - a high-pressure water jet - mounted on a Red Rhino.

SCDF said there were no reports of injuries.

The Straits Times understands that the fire in the scrap metal yard covered an area roughly the size of a basketball court.

As of 3pm, damping down operations to prevent the flames from rekindling were under way.