Vegetation fire breaks out in open field at Punggol

A vegetation fire consumed an area measuring 30m by 30m at an open field in Punggol's Sumang Walk. PHOTO: COURTESY OF EELEENZ LIANG
Thick smoke rising from the fire at an open field in Sumang Walk. PHOTO: GABRIEL LOH VIA PUNGGOL 21'S FACEBOOK PAGE

SINGAPORE - A sizeable portion, measuring 30m by 30m, of an open field in Punggol caught fire on Thursday (April 7) afternoon.

Photos sent to The Straits Times by Facebook user Eeleenz Liang showed flames consuming the field near a river.

Ms Liang suggested that the hot weather - temperatures were forecast to peak at 35 deg C on Thursday - could have caused the fire.

More photos, which showed thick clouds of smoke rising from the fire, were also posted on the Punggol 21 Facebook page.

The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said the vegetation fire broke out in the field beside Block 256, Sumang Walk, at around 1.15pm.

Two fire engines, a red rhino and two fire bikes were dispatched to the scene.

PHOTO: COURTESY OF EELEENZ LIANG

The fire was put out with two water jets, and there were no injuries reported.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

A total of 94 vegetation fires were recorded last month, with the largest at a thick patch of vegetation along Yishun Ring Road.

On March 29 alone, the SCDF put out 20 fires involving pockets of vegetation.

More fire stories on Thursday (April 7) below:

Residents help put out fire outside HDB flat in Eunos Crescent; explosions heard

30 customers, residents evacuated after fire breaks out in Jurong West St 81 coffee shop

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