SINGAPORE - The brother and sister who lived in the Jurong East flat where a fire broke out on Aug 16 were among a "handful of cases" known to the authorities for their habit of collecting discarded items, and ignored attempts to engage them.

Mr Huang Mingquan, 48, died in the fire but his 50-year-old sister, Ms Huang Xiumei, survived. Their next-door neighbours had to be rescued by firefighters when the clutter outside the flat also caught fire and blocked their way out, while the smouldering rubble inside the flat was so thick it reignited the next day.