A serious fire broke out at Block 229 Toa Payoh Lorong 8, and efforts to fight the fire were hampered due to a malfunctioning dry riser.
According to PUB, after discussions with the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) and Bishan-Toa Payoh Town Council, it was found that the dry riser failed because of a leak in the underground firefighting pipe.
Fire suspected to be caused by dryer, spread to upper floor
According to Lianhe Zaobao, the fire started at around 1.10pm on Tuesday (July 29) in a 10th-floor unit, possibly due to a dryer catching fire. The flames were so intense that they spread to the unit directly above on the 11th floor.
Six residents, including a child, and one firefighter were sent to the hospital.
On Wednesday (July 30), the SCDF confirmed that the dry riser in the HDB block could not function properly, which meant water could not be pressurised and sent to the affected floors. Firefighters had to pull hoses from the fire engine parked downstairs all the way up the stairwell to the 10th and 11th floors to put out the flames.
When asked on Wednesday, Bishan-Toa Payoh Town Council declined to comment. However, on Thursday (July 31), they issued a statement saying that they had conducted a joint inspection of the dry riser with SCDF. The town council also stressed that fire safety is a top priority.
They added, “SCDF requires dry risers to undergo water pressure testing once a year. Our appointed contractor last tested the dry riser at Block 229 on August 28 last year and found it in good working condition. The next inspection was originally scheduled for August 5 this year.”
PUB: Issue not related to national water pipes
The town council mentioned that based on discussions with SCDF, the reason for the dry riser malfunction might have been due to a leak in the underground pipes. These annual pressure tests also check for such leaks.
In response, PUB clarified via email that the leaking pipe was part of the underground dry riser system, which is maintained by the town council, not PUB.
“In other words, the malfunction had nothing to do with PUB’s water supply pipes,” the statement said.
“We would like to clarify that there is no leak in the PUB water pipes supplying water to the block. The leak came from underground pipes that are part of the internal firefighting system.”
SCDF: Will take firm action against safety lapses
SCDF previously said they are working with the town council to investigate the incident. “SCDF takes fire safety very seriously. Any non-compliance with safety regulations, including failure to maintain dry risers or other firefighting equipment, will be dealt with firmly,” they stated.
Meanwhile, the niece of the unit owner told Shin Min Daily News that family members accompanied her uncle back to the unit on Wednesday afternoon to see if anything could be salvaged.
For now, the family has been temporarily rehoused in a rental flat.
