Fatal Clementi blaze: Dry rising main not in proper working condition during firefighting operation

SINGAPORE – A dry rising main was not in proper working condition when firefighters were putting out a blaze in a Clementi HDB flat on July 31, hampering the firefighting operation.

A dry rising main is a vertical red pipe charged with water from a fire engine during firefighting.

The malfunction resulted in reduced water pressure, preventing water from being charged effectively to the affected floor, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said on Aug 2, in reply to media queries.

The SCDF responded to the fire in a flat on the eighth floor of Block 309 Clementi Avenue 4 at around 11.10pm on July 31.

The flat’s occupant was taken to hospital in an unconscious state and later died there. Two firefighters who suffered burn injuries were also taken to hospital.

SCDF said that upon encountering problems with the dry rising main, firefighters immediately set up hoses directly from the fire engine to the affected floor via the staircase.

This is a contingency that firefighters regularly train for during routine drills, it added.

SCDF, which is investigating the incident, said the town council is required to rectify the dry rising main to ensure that it is in proper working condition.

In a media reply on Aug 2, the Holland-Bukit Panjang Town Council said its preliminary assessment indicated that the reduction in water pressure from the dry rising main was due to a coupling that secured a segment of the dry rising main becoming dislodged during the firefighting operations.

The town council said that it has rectified the coupling securing the segment of the dry rising main.

It said SCDF tested the system on the morning of Aug 2, and further tests will be conducted to ensure that the system is fully operational.

The town council added that it will also conduct checks at other blocks under its management as a precautionary measure.

The dry rising main at Block 309 Clementi Avenue last underwent servicing and pressure testing on March 14, and was found to be in order, the town council added.

It said the dry rising main systems are serviced every six months and the pressure tested annually.

The fire – which involved items in the living room – was put out with two water jets, SCDF said in a Facebook post on Aug 1.

About 40 residents from the affected block were evacuated by the police and the SCDF as a precaution.

The town council said it is cooperating fully with SCDF’s probe, and will remain “transparent and accountable”.

It added: “We will work closely with SCDF to identify any areas where the maintenance and testing regime for the entire dry rising main and hose reel system, which supplies water for firefighting operations, can be further strengthened.

“We will continue to provide the necessary support to the parties affected by the incident.”

The town council also conveyed its condolences to the resident’s family and loved ones, and wished the injured firefighters a speedy recovery.

One of the firefighters has been discharged from hospital and is resting at home, said SCDF.

The other is recovering in hospital after a procedure, said an MP for Holland-Bukit Timah GRC, Sim Ann, in a Facebook post on Aug 3 after visiting him that afternoon.

Sim, who is also Second Minister for Foreign Affairs and Home Affairs, said the firefighter was in good spirits and is looking forward to going home in a few days. She added that she supports the town council’s commitment to transparency and accountability. “We will do right by our residents and firefighters.”