A 77-year-old woman has died after being rescued from a flat where a fire broke out in Bukit Panjang on Sep. 28.
The incident happened at around 3pm at Block 126 Pending Road, according to information released by the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) and Singapore Police Force (SPF).
SCDF said firefighters were alerted to the blaze in the afternoon and arrived to find thick black smoke coming from a unit on the sixth floor.
Woman found unconscious inside living room
The fire had involved items in the living room of the flat. SCDF firefighters used a water jet to put out the blaze.
During their operations, emergency responders found an unconscious person inside the living room. The person was removed from the flat, after which an SCDF paramedic and emergency medical technicians performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).
The woman was subsequently taken to hospital for further treatment.
Police later confirmed that the 77-year-old woman had been conveyed to hospital unconscious. She subsequently died in hospital.
The authorities have not disclosed further details about the woman’s identity or the circumstances surrounding her death.
Neighbour also taken to hospital
A 62-year-old man living in a neighbouring unit was also assessed by emergency responders after reportedly being exposed to smoke.
He was conscious when conveyed to hospital and was assessed for possible smoke inhalation.
As a precautionary measure, SCDF and police evacuated around 70 people from the affected block while emergency operations were carried out.
The evacuation was carried out to keep residents away from the affected area and allow firefighters and emergency personnel to respond to the incident safely.
The cause of the fire has not been established.
Police and SCDF investigations into the circumstances surrounding the blaze are ongoing.
Residents who encounter a fire are advised to leave the affected area promptly, avoid using lifts during a fire and call 995 for emergency assistance. Smoke can also pose a serious danger even when flames are not directly visible, particularly within enclosed spaces.