Forum: Fire-rated doors slow down spread of fire and smoke
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox
Follow topic:
We thank Madam Lee Soo Mien for her letter “ Raise awareness about closing mechanism of fire-rated doors
All buildings in Singapore, including HDB flats, are required to be built in accordance with the prevailing Fire Code. Every HDB unit is fitted with a fire-rated entrance door and frame to contain fire and smoke, and prevent the spread of fire across units, except for units which directly face open corridors.
Under HDB’s renovation guidelines, owners of flats replacing their fire-rated entrance door and frame must replace them with a new door and frame which are half-hour fire-rated, and the frame must be fitted with a self-closing device.
Proper closing of the fire-rated door can significantly slow down the spread of fire and smoke to adjoining areas.
Knowing what to do during a fire is equally important. If the fire occurs within a unit, occupants should alert others by shouting, immediately evacuate the unit, and close the entrance door.
If the occupants are unable to evacuate, they should quickly enter an unaffected room, close the door, and cover the gap beneath the door with a cloth to slow smoke entry. Call 995 and go to a window to shout for help.
Neighbours of the affected unit (and occupants if they have successfully evacuated) should avoid using lifts and use the staircases instead to leave their block.
Residents play a critical role in fire prevention.
The top three causes of fires in residential premises are electrical faults, unattended cooking and unattended lighted materials. In particular, avoid using uncertified electrical devices, including illegal PMDs, overloading power sockets, or charging devices overnight without supervision.
Do not leave cooking unattended, and lighted materials such as candles, incense or cigarettes should be extinguished before disposal.
Residents should keep their house, common corridors and staircases clutter-free for ease of evacuation during emergencies.
We encourage residents to install a Home Fire Alarm Device (HFAD), which detects smoke and provides early warning for swift action. More information on the HFAD, including its installation and a list of suppliers, is available on the SCDF website (www.scdf.gov.sg).
For more fire safety tips and emergency preparedness advice, residents may refer to the Civil Defence Emergency Handbook at go.gov.sg/cdemergencyhandbook.
Ryan Ong (Assistant Commissioner)
Director, Fire Safety Department
Singapore Civil Defence Force
Michelle Ng (Ms)
Director (Housing Maintenance)
Housing & Development Board
