Deaths of the two Marina Bay Suites guards ruled as misadventure by fire

The deaths of two security guards at the Marina Bay Suites condominium in January was ruled as misadventure by fire by the state coroner on Wednesday. -- ST PHOTO: LAU FOOK KONG
The deaths of two security guards at the Marina Bay Suites condominium in January was ruled as misadventure by fire by the state coroner on Wednesday. -- ST PHOTO: LAU FOOK KONG

SINGAPORE - The deaths of two Marina Bay Suites security guards in January was ruled as misadventure by fire by the state coroner on Wednesday.

Mr Sim Lai Huat, 55, and Madam Sooria Kala Kaneseon, 33, had taken a lift up to a 65th floor penthouse to investigate what they had assumed to be a false fire alarm.

But when the lift doors opened, they were engulfed by extreme heat and smoke emitted from raging flames, likely to have originated from cigarette embers and fuelled by construction waste from a unit undergoing renovations that was strewn near the lift.

The two were killed primarily by extensive severe burns, State Coroner Marvin Bay found. He established that there had been no foul play, and made several recommendations, including imposing strict restrictions on smoking.

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