Fire breaks out in Whampoa flat, man arrested for arson

A fire broke out in a Whampoa HDB flat on May 29, sending five people to hospital and prompting the evacuation of about 40 residents.

A 51-year-old man was later arrested on suspicion of arson.

The fire, which started around 11.40am, occurred in a two-room unit on the second floor of Block 20 Jalan Tenteram.

When reporters arrived at the scene at about 3pm, the fire had been extinguished and the police cordon was being removed.

According to witnesses, the blaze had spread from the second floor up to the fourth, with the most severe damage observed on the second and third floors.

The fourth floor suffered mainly from smoke damage, leaving walls and furniture blackened.

Mr Di, 45, a cleaner who is the homeowner's son, told reporters that the unit belonged to his mother but was mostly occupied by his half-brother, who lived there alone.

Their mother, he said, typically stayed with his sister in a neighbouring block.

Mr Di revealed that his mother tried to re-enter the flat during the fire to save family belongings, but was stopped by a relative.

She reportedly inhaled smoke and was taken to hospital but is now in stable condition.

The family's concerns were not just about property loss.

Mr Di said his brother had a history of setting fires and had previously been arrested for arson in the same block.

"He's been emotionally unstable for a long time," he said, adding that the man had argued with relatives the day before the fire.

That same night, Mr Di's nephew allegedly saw the man burning newspapers and cloth in the unit.

Residents across the block also reported seeing Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) officers at the scene the night before, although no fire was observed at the time.

In a Facebook update, SCDF confirmed that the fire involved not just the unit but also items in the corridors on the second and third floors.

Two water jets were used to extinguish the flames, which also affected the interiors of two units.

Several neighbouring homes were damaged by heat and smoke. For safety, police and SCDF officers evacuated about 40 residents.

Madam Zheng, 72, who lives on the third floor, said she and her husband were watching television when they noticed a strong smell of smoke.

"We opened the door and saw the whole corridor filled with smoke. We ran downstairs quickly," she said, "We also heard three loud explosions - it was very scary."

SCDF said five people were taken to Singapore General Hospital, Tan Tock Seng Hospital and KK Women's and Children's Hospital for smoke inhalation.

The injured were aged between 12 and 74.

Police confirmed that a 51-year-old man was arrested in connection with the case.

He was conscious when taken to hospital. Police investigations are ongoing.