Two toddlers who were alone at home were rescued from a burning Housing Board flat in Marsiling on Wednesday night.

The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said in a Facebook post yesterday that it was alerted to the fire at Block 218 Marsiling Crescent at around 10.40pm.

SCDF said that when firefighters arrived, the fire was raging and thick black smoke was emitting from a second-storey flat.

"Firefighters from Woodlands Fire Station donned breathing apparatus sets and extinguished the fire with a water jet," SCDF said in its post.

The fire, which involved the contents of a bedroom, caused the entire flat to be affected by heat and smoke damage.

Two police officers had rescued the two toddlers before the SCDF arrived. They were found conscious in the living room.

A member of the public had attempted to force open the door of the affected flat to rescue the toddlers, SCDF added.

"SCDF will be reaching out to the person to commend him for his quick thinking and prompt action in attempting to rescue the toddlers," it said.

The toddlers were taken to KK Women's and Children's Hospital by two ambulances.

About 60 residents from neighbouring flats were also evacuated as a precautionary measure.

SCDF is investigating the cause of the fire.

Mr Zaqy Mohamad, an MP for Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC, told The Straits Times that the toddlers had suffered smoke inhalation and were in a stable condition.

He added that if all goes well, the toddlers would be discharged yesterday or latest by this morning.

Mr Zaqy said HDB will be providing the family with temporary accommodation in the estate.

Block 218 is one of eight blocks in Marsiling Crescent and Marsiling Lane that will be acquired by HDB for the expansion of Woodlands Checkpoint, the authorities announced last month.

When The Straits Times visited the block at around 9am yesterday, several items had been placed outside the affected flat, including a fridge.

The ceiling fan inside the two-room flat had melted and the bedroom's windows were broken.

A resident who declined to be named said he saw two young boys, aged three to four years old, being treated for minor burn wounds at the void deck.

"They were also given oxygen masks. I didn't see them crying much, they were quiet," he said.

Student Rabian Ng, who lives in the flat next to the affected one, said: "It was all a blur. People were yelling at us to go down, but we were confused."

The 16-year-old added: "We closed the door and all the windows, but smoke still came in. After a while, the police knocked on our door and asked us to go down."

He said he saw two children alone and crying in the affected flat's hall.

He added that the evacuated residents were allowed to return to their homes at around 12.30am yesterday.