SINGAPORE – A fire that burned through the roof in a Geylang shophouse in July originated from an electrical source in a unit on the third floor.

The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said on Thursday that its investigation showed the cause of fire at 61 Lorong 27 Geylang was “accidental in nature”.

“(It) originated from an electrical source in one of the bedrooms on the third floor of the unit,” it added.

The Straits Times reported in July that a fire raged on the third floor of the shophouse, burned through the roof and also damaged the timber roofing structure on the third floor of the adjacent shophouse unit.

SCDF said 12 emergency vehicles and 50 firefighters were deployed on-site. At the height of the firefighting operation, four water jets were used to extinguish the flames within an hour.

About 30 occupants from neighbouring shophouses were evacuated.

SCDF urged the public to adopt fire safety practices such as not overloading electrical outlets with electrical appliances and switching off appliances when not in use to prevent electrical fires.

It added: “Check the condition of wires regularly. Frayed wires or cracked cords should be replaced or repaired immediately.”

In addition, wires should not be run under carpets or floor mats and should be kept away from hot surfaces.

“Do not leave batteries or devices charging unattended for an extended period of time, or leave it charging overnight,” SCDF added.

The public is advised to use appliances and plugs bearing the safety mark. The categories of appliances can be found at http://www.consumerproductsafety.gov.sg