130 people evacuated, seven taken to hospital after AMK flat fire
Seven residents of a housing block in Ang Mo Kio were taken to hospital following a fire yesterday morning.
About 130 people from the fifth to ninth storeys of Block 123 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 6 were also evacuated as a precautionary measure, said the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) in a Facebook post.
The SCDF said that it was alerted to the fire in a flat on the seventh storey of the block at about 9.40am.
Upon arrival, firefighters proceeded to the unit where the fire was raging.
"An occupant from the burning unit was seen at the seventh-floor staircase landing and was safely evacuated by SCDF firefighters."
The fire, which involved the contents of the unit, was extinguished with a water jet and two compressed air foam backpacks. The Straits Times understands that the fire was contained within the flat.
The seven residents were taken to Singapore General Hospital, Khoo Teck Puat Hospital and National University Hospital for smoke inhalation and giddiness.
Staff and residents from the Awwa Senior Community Home (SCH), located at levels two to four of the same block, had self-evacuated prior to the SCDF's arrival.
Mr Sairam Azad, deputy director of Awwa Health and Senior Care, told ST that during the evacuation, one of the residents from Awwa SCH was feeling unwell and was taken to the nearest hospital for observation.
The cause of the fire is under investigation. - THE STRAITS TIMES
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