SINGAPORE - Two workers, who got into a scuffle and damaged some flammable items, accidentally started a fire in the scrubber yard.

The "incident" on the third floor of the semiconductor manufacturing firm GlobalFoundries Singapore's main building triggered the fire alarm, which saw the Company Emergency Response Team (CERT) immediately springing into action to mitigate the situation before the arrival of the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF).

About 1,200 employees were "evacuated" from the building in Woodlands Industrial Park.

Fortunately, this was just an exercise mimicking a real-life scenario carried out to launch the 15th edition of the annual Mass Fire Evacuation Drill (MFED) on Monday afternoon (Sept 2).

Organised by National Fire and Civil Emergency Preparedness Council (NFEC), the month-long campaign aims to promote fire safety and emergency preparedness in commercial and industrial buildings, as well as community centres and educational institutions.

Last year, the MFED was launched at Khoo Teck Puat Hospital and the campaign saw 277 premises and 54,000 participants taking part.

In this year's edition, the campaign will involve 260 premises and about 62,000 participants, the most number of participants to be involved since the MFED started in 2005.

Mr Daryl Sng Jing Jie, 28, safety engineer and programme lead for the emergency response team at GlobalFoundries Singapore, said: "It was one of the biggest drills we have had. It was fulfilling to see that it went well and it was an excellent opportunity for the team."

"Every drill really helps to build up our confidence and reminds us of the importance of the team's capabilities to handle emergencies," he added.

CERT is made up of a group of employees identified by a company to be trained as in-house first responders in order to prevent emergencies from escalating.

At GlobalFoundries Singapore, 32 drills are held annually and the team of more than 300 employees receives different types of emergency training at least once a month.

Mr Alan Loh, chairman of NFEC, said: "Today's Mass Fire Evacuation Drill has reminded all of us to be prepared for any foreseeable emergencies at all times.

"Let us work together to publicise the importance of emergency preparedness and community first response, and make our workplaces and the community safe and secure."

Correction note: This article has been edited to reflect the correct name of the National Fire and Civil Emergency Preparedness Council.