SINGAPORE - A HDB flat in Bukit Batok caught fire in the early morning of Friday (Nov 1) and a ladder was used to rescue the occupants in it, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said in a Facebook post.

At around 4.30am, SCDF firefighters from Bukit Batok and Jurong fire stations responded to a fire on the 13th floor of Block 210A, Bukit Batok Street 21.

The firemen rescued a woman in her 60s from the toilet and the fire was extinguished with two water jets.

A man in his 60s and another man in his 30s were found standing on the ledge outside the kitchen's window. The accumulation of items in the kitchen limited the working space for the firefighters and the two men were highly exhausted, making it difficult for them to be pulled to safety, the SCDF said.

A 60m ladder was used to rescue the men. Firefighters used ropes to secure the two men from inside the flat while rescuers rappelled from the unit above and brought them into a rescue cage. The men were brought down to the ground floor and were attended to by SCDF paramedics.

The three casualties were taken to Singapore General Hospital for burn injuries and smoke inhalation.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.