Yet another fire incident in Toa Payoh.
Mr. Tan Chee Siah, who’s 55, received a call while he was driving in Woodlands on a Tuesday afternoon. His wife told him their flat at Block 229, Toa Payoh Lorong 8, was on fire. He rushed back, arriving in about 15 minutes.
He then saw his home still burning, with flames coming from the windows and metal frames looking warped. Mr. Tan told CNA,
“I looked up and saw my house burning. I told myself, ‘it’s gone’.”
The fire from the 10th floor had spread to the unit directly above. The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) extinguished both fires around 3:30 PM. Seven people were hospitalised from the incident, including a child and a firefighter.
@wordpress-1230300-5974443.cloudwaysapps.com A fire reportedly broke out at Toa Payoh Block 229 this afternoon, sending thick black smoke into the air. SCDF on site, residents evacuated. #surebohsg #sgtrending #sgnews #fyp #fypsg #sgtiktok #fire #scdf #toapayoh ♬ original sound – Sure Boh
Mr. Tan’s 41-year-old wife and their maid were among those taken to Singapore General Hospital.
Both husband and wife unemployed
Mr. Tan lives with his wife, their three children, their maid, and their dog. Both he and his wife are currently unemployed.
His wife was alone at home when the fire started in the kitchen. She only knew about it after a neighbour knocked on their door to inform her. She then called Mr. Tan and went down to the ninth floor to ask a neighbour for help calling SCDF. Mr. Tan noted that his wife “was quite stable, but mentally she wasn’t very stable,” adding that she was crying.
After his wife and maid went to the hospital, Mr. Tan picked up his three children from school. He feels his 10-year-old daughter is “too young” to understand the situation’s seriousness. However, his 13-year-old son cried when told his mother was in the hospital. When asked about faulty wiring as a possible cause, Mr. Tan mentioned they had renovated the house three years ago when they moved in.
He felt it took some time for them to start hosing down the flames. “I do appreciate that they rushed in,” he stated, but he also suggested there might need to be upgrades for fire safety.
Other residents in the block also had to find temporary places to stay until it was safe to return. Mr. Saktiandi Supaat, MP for Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC, confirmed that grassroots leaders would ensure alternative housing provided by HDB for affected occupants.
Mr. Tan, however, wondered if basic items like a mattress and a fan would be included.
He Lost Everything in his Toa Payoh Flat
When the CNA visited his flat around 8:40 PM, the unit was completely burnt. Workers were fixing wiring nearby. The stairs leading up to the unit were flooded, and the floor was covered in soot. “Everything is gone,” Mr. Tan said, repeating what firefighters had told him.
He lost his interior design firm during the COVID-19 pandemic and has since been taking temporary delivery jobs to support his family. He finds it hard to make ends meet. “I cannot make ends meet,” he shared.
Adding to his worries, his two sons had exams the next day, and he was unsure if he should send them to school, as “Now they have no spare clothing … No nothing.”
