63-year-old Loh Fu Wah was charged earlier today (12 December) for causing a hire at a HDB unit in Tampines by dropping a lit cigarette on a bedroom floor, according to CNA.
He was charged with negligently causing a fire at a 10th-floor unit at Block 941 Tampines Avenue 5 on 28 January at about 10.29pm.
There was kerosene on the floor at the time when he dropped his cigarette on the floor, and the resultant fire caused damage to the unit and the common corridor.
He will be pleading guilty and is set to return to court on 17 January 2023.
Recap on SCDF’s statement
[Fire @ Block 941 Tampines Ave 5]
At about 10.30pm yesterday (28 Jan), SCDF was alerted to a fire at the above-mentioned location.
Upon SCDF’s arrival, the fire was raging and had totally engulfed a two-storey unit on the 10th floor.
Firefighters from Tampines Fire Station and Changi Fire Station had to conduct forcible entry to gain access into the unit.
While conducting firefighting operations within the unit, firefighters also conducted forcible entry into a bedroom on the first storey, and found a man lying unconscious on the floor. The firefighters immediately rescued him out of the burning unit.
An SCDF ambulance crew assessed the rescued man and conveyed him to Changi General Hospital.
The fire, which involved contents of the entire unit, was extinguished with two water jets.
About 180 people from neighbouring units were evacuated as a precautionary measure.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.