The joy of a wedding celebration can quickly turn into a nightmare when unexpected incidents occur. Such was the case for a couple in Yishun, Singapore, who had to leave their daughter’s wedding prematurely to deal with a terrifying situation.
On Sunday afternoon (29 October), their Yishun flat at Block 139 Yishun Ring Road caught fire, leading to a race against time as they rushed back to their home, according to The Straits Times.
The Wedding Day Bliss
The day had started with excitement and happiness as the family celebrated their daughter’s wedding. The morning was filled with ceremonies and festivities, and the couple was overjoyed to see their daughter begin a new chapter in her life.
The day took a sudden, alarming turn around 4 p.m. when a neighbor made a phone call that no one ever expects to receive.
The family had been busy throughout the day, and the news was like a bolt from the blue. The neighbor informed them that their home was on fire.
Initially, it was hard to believe, with the thought that it might be a joke, but a call from the police confirmed the horrifying reality.
A Race Against Time
Without wasting a moment, the parents rushed home. The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) also arrived at the scene and extinguished the fire with a water jet, as the police evacuated about 50 people from the block.
The fire was believed to have involved a shelf in the unit’s living room. Fortunately, the fire did not spread beyond the living room, but it left the room’s ceiling and walls charred.
The flat owner, while grateful that no one was injured, couldn’t help but wonder what had caused the fire. His suspicion fell on the candles that his family had left burning at an altar in the flat.
A Day of Multiple Fires
This incident was the first of three fires that occurred in an 18-hour period. The SCDF responded to another fire at 25A Chai Chee Road, a block of Housing Board shops, which was fortunately extinguished before causing significant damage. The following day, another fire broke out in a flat at Block 415 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 10.