SINGAPORE - Computers, desks and air-conditioning units were among the items destroyed by a blaze at an office near Balestier Road on Thursday morning (March 7).

The third floor unit's tenant told The Straits Times the fire caused about $200,000 worth of damage.

In response to queries, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said it responded to the fire at 2 Jalan Rajah at about 7.30am.

The fire, first reported by Chinese-language daily Lianhe Wanbao, was put out by SCDF using two water jets.

SCDF added that no injuries were reported.

Mr Teo Cheng Hai, a director of N. K. Luck Singapore, the tenant of the unit, said he was alerted in the morning by the building's management that there was smoke coming from the office.

He rushed down immediately and arrived at the office at around 7.15am.

"When I opened the door, there was a lot of smoke and it was very thick. I tried to see what might have caused the fire but I could only manage to take a few steps in before choking, and had to turn back," the 69-year-old told ST in Mandarin.

His firm supplies dental equipment and tools. Mr Teo said he was thankful the fire was contained in the administrative office and that the supply stores were untouched.

Photos provided by Mr Teo to ST show thick, grey smoke billowing out of the windows of the unit.

Other photos show the interior of the office was badly burned, with the walls, ceiling and floor completely blackened and littered with ash. There were dangling beams and exposed wiring where the fire had damaged the ceiling.

Another photo shows several SCDF vehicles and officers at the site.

A supervisor from the building's management, Mr Aw Keng Nan, told ST that only a few tenants had arrived at the building when the fire began.

He called the SCDF when he saw that the smoke had become extremely thick.

"They arrived shortly after I called, and the fire was extinguished by around 9am," added the 52-year-old.

The cause of the fire is being investigated, SCDF said.