Shophouse Fire in Sembawang Contained by 40 Firefighters with 100 Evacuated

 

About 100 people were evacuated after a fire broke out at a two-storey shophouse in Sembawang on Jan 8. The incident occurred at 10A Jalan Tampang, with the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) receiving an alert at 8:25pm.

The blaze prompted an extensive firefighting operation involving eight emergency vehicles and around 40 firefighters from multiple units, including Yishun, Woodlands, and Tampines Fire Stations, as well as the Special Response Unit.

Firefighters had to forcibly enter the shophouse and deployed two water jets inside to contain the fire. Simultaneously, two more water jets were used on the exterior of the building to prevent the fire from spreading to neighboring units. The efforts were captured in a TikTok video, showing flames rising above a row of shophouses while firefighters and police worked at the scene.

The fire was brought under control and fully extinguished within an hour. SCDF personnel continued damping down the area, a process involving the application of water to prevent rekindling by wetting burnt surfaces. Fortunately, there were no injuries reported during the incident.

SCDF is currently investigating the cause of the fire. The affected shophouse and adjacent units remain under scrutiny to ensure public safety.

In 2023, Singapore recorded 1,954 fire cases, an 8.6% rise from 2022’s 1,799 cases. Incidents like this highlight the importance of fire safety measures and rapid emergency response.