Fire breaks out in Toa Payoh flat; 50 people evacuated from block

The couple were watching TV in their living room when a fire broke out in their four-room flat.

Mr Saravana Moorthy, an engineering instructor, and his wife, Madam Lolita Eclebia, both 58, and their 18-year-old son tried to put out the fire, but when the flames grew, they had to evacuate the flat.

The fire quickly engulfed the third-floor HDB flat in Block 222 Lorong 8 Toa Payoh on Friday night. Madam Eclebia, who works in a restaurant, told The Sunday Times she briefly panicked.

She said: "I quickly grabbed the backpack I use for work since it was the closest thing to me. My daughter's passport was lying nearby, so I grabbed that too, along with my own and a statue of the Virgin Mary."

Three fire engines were at the scene when The Sunday Times arrived at 9.30pm and around 50 people were evacuated by the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) and the police as a precaution.

A resident on the 14th floor who wanted to be known only as Madam Chia said she smelled smoke around 8.40pm.

"My nephew was leaving the flat when he told me there were fire engines downstairs," the 65-year-old said. "I immediately closed all my windows and went downstairs to check it out."

Another resident, who did not want to be identified, said he initially thought the smell of smoke came from burnt offerings for the Hungry Ghost Festival.

The SCDF said in a Facebook post that it was alerted to the fire at about 8.20pm and firefighters had to force their way into the unit.

"Upon SCDF's arrival, the fire was raging and thick black smoke was emitting from a unit on the third floor. At the height of the firefighting operation, two water jets were deployed to fight the fire. As a result, the entire unit was affected by heat and smoke damage," said the SCDF in its post.

One person was taken to hospital for smoke inhalation.

Mr Saktiandi Supaat, an MP for Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC, told The Sunday Times that the fire was put out in 30 minutes, and assistance will be provided to those affected.

"The affected family and immediate neighbours nearby and upstairs are taking shelter at the residents' committee centre," he said.

SCDF said that the cause of the fire is being investigated.