SINGAPORE - A fire the size of a football field broke out at No. 5 Gul Lane on Friday (Jan 21) afternoon, sending thick clouds of smoke into the sky.

The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said it was alerted at 2.50pm to the fire at the premises, filled largely with drums containing flammable liquids and industrial chemicals.

About 40 workers had evacuated the area before help arrived.

The SCDF said that the fire was raging intensely and at risk of spreading along the drain around the premises when it arrived at the scene.

A total of 20 emergency vehicles and about 70 firefighters were deployed to the scene. The fire was extinguished at about 3.30pm.

SCDF conveyed a man to Ng Teng Fong General Hospital with burn injuries to his forearm. There were no other reported injuries.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Videos of the fire were circulating online, with one posted to Facebook group Singapore Road Accident showing the clouds of black smoke in the air.