SINGAPORE – Preliminary investigations have shown that an explosion at an Audi service centre earlier in March was caused by the accumulation of flammable vapours in a waste oil tank placed inside a lift motor room, said the Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) Council on Monday.

On March 7, an explosion blew open a section of the Audi service centre in Ubi, resulting in one injury and the evacuation of 100 people.

The explosion was also felt by those working in nearby buildings, and sent some running for cover.

Separately, the WSH Council on Monday also highlighted a large blaze that engulfed an industrial chemical blending and storage warehouse in Tuas South on March 13.

According to the council, preliminary investigations indicate that the fire started from an adhesive dispensing unit containing flammable solvents.

Two people had minor injuries, and about 40 people in the building were evacuated.

“While no one was badly injured, both incidents highlight the need for workplaces to better manage flammable materials as workplace fires can lead to mass casualties and cause extensive damage to assets,” said the council.

It called on all companies storing or handling flammable materials – including petroleum products and volatile organic solvents – to urgently review their safety measures.

The council also advised companies to ensure the effective implementation of risk assessment and training, as well as storage, handling and disposal, when working with flammable materials.

For instance, companies must ensure that storage areas are well ventilated to prevent the accumulation of flammable vapours. Flammable storage must also be segregated from heat and ignition sources.

Workers should don personal protective equipment such as fire-retardant clothing, gloves and safety boots when handling flammable materials.

The chemical compatibility of flammable waste should be checked before it is disposed of in collection tanks, and if necessary, laboratory tests should be conducted to ascertain hazardous substances before combining waste from different sources.