A man was found and pronounced dead by SCDF paramedics after a fire broke out on the 9th floor of an HDB unit at Block 236 Jurong East Street 21.

The fire happened at about 2.50am on 16 August, and SCDF firefighters conducted forcible entry to rescue three residents of an adjacent unit.

Another occupant in the affected unit had self-evacuated before the SCDF arrived.

SCDF’s update

[Fire @ Block 236 Jurong East Street 21]

Earlier this morning (16 Aug) at about 2.50am, SCDF was alerted to a fire at the aforementioned location.

Upon SCDF’s arrival, the fire was raging inside a unit on the 9th floor.

Firefighters from Jurong and Clementi Fire Stations donning breathing apparatus sets, penetrated into the heavily smoke-logged unit to conduct firefighting operations. Concurrently, another crew of firefighters conducted forcible entry into the adjacent unit to rescue three occupants.

Firefighting operations are currently still ongoing.

Second update

[Final Update: Block 236 Jurong East Street 21]

At about 2.50am today (16 Aug), SCDF was alerted to a fire at the above-mentioned location.

Upon SCDF’s arrival, the fire was raging inside a unit on the 9th floor. Firefighters penetrated into the heavily smoke-logged unit to conduct firefighting operations. In addition, a Combined Platform Ladder was deployed at the rear of the block for external firefighting.

SCDF firefighters extinguished the fire using three water jets. As a result of the fire, the entire unit was affected by heat and smoke damage.

An occupant in the affected unit self evacuated before SCDF’s arrival.

Due to the close proximity of an adjacent unit, SCDF firefighters conducted forced entry into this unit and rescued three occupants.

A body was found in the affected unit and pronounced dead by an SCDF paramedic.

Damping down operations* are currently ongoing.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

*Damping down refers to the application of water to wet burnt surfaces immediately after a fire is put out. It is to prevent any potential rekindle of fire from the hot burnt surfaces.

Minister of Law and Home Affairs, K Shanmugam, weighed in o the case of the Tradenation scam couple, in a lengthy Facebook post.

He said that offenders are likely to be caught due to the Singapore Police’s “good linkages” with the police forces i the region, who “work closely with their regional counterparts”.

Here is what he said

[Tradenation case – couple who fled Singapore]

Pi Jiapeng and Pansuk Siriwipa are suspects in a series of alleged cheating cases, relating to luxury goods, in the Tradenation matter. They fled Singapore on 4 July. They were returned to Singapore with assistance from the Royal Thai Police as well as the Royal Malaysia Police.

I’ve often said before: one, if you’ve committed an offence, you are likely to be caught; two, when you are arrested, if you are guilty, then the facts are likely to be found and presented, and you are likely to be found guilty; and three, you are then likely to serve the sentence.

Our Police have very good linkages with regional police forces. They use their leads, and work closely with their regional counterparts.

The matter will now be dealt in the courts.

20-year-old Indonesian, Rajama Samuel Doctorian Purba, was sentenced to 8 years imprisonment and given 6 strokes of the cane on 15 August.

he had pleaded guilty to a charge of raping a drunk 16-year-old girl in his rented apartment in 2020, with two other charges for molestation and possession of obscene films considered during his sentencing.

Background

Rajama was sharing the rented condominium unit with another Indonesian, 19-year-old Anthony Aditya Tedjawisastra, who was also pursuing his studies at a private school here.

The victim was invited by her friend, who is a coursemate of Anthony to a gathering at the apartment on 6 November 2020 to celebrate his birthday.

She was hesitant at first to go because she didn’t know anyone, but she eventually decided to go.

After some introductions at the apartment, the victim saw in the living room with Anthony, Rajama ad her friend playing card games and drinking.

She later became dizzy and wanted to puke after a few rounds of the games, and Rajama then supported her and brought her to his bedroom toilet, locking the door behind him, while the others stayed in the living room.

The victim then finished vomiting and Rajama then cleaned her up and realised she was unconscious, before replacing her on his bed, lifting her shirt and bra, and groping her.

The girl didn’t react and he then raped her.

The victim could feel him raping her but couldn’t fight back or move as she was too drunk, and after he stopped, he dressed her up and helped her to the toilet where she vomited again.

He then left her there.

Athony later entered the room and scolded Rajama for leaving her o the toilet floor, and Rajama then confessed to what he had done.

The victim left the unit at about 4 am with her friend supporting her, ad she then told her friend about what Rajama had done to her, and she then made a police report later that night.

Following a successful en bloc sale, the tenants of Golden Mile Complex will have to leave the property before it is handed over to the developers in May 2023.

A sale order has been obtained from the Strata Titles Board on 3 August by Edmund Tie & Company, a real estate consultancy that is managing the sale, according to an announcement on 10 August.

The commercial area at Golden Mile has seen a huge number of Thai eateries, grocery shops, pubs and discos over the years.

It has been nicknamed Little Thailand through the years by customers who frequent the area, and with the impending redevelopment of the property, tenants and customers have expressed sadness and disappointment at losing Little Thailand.

Many elderly who live alone, also often meet up at Golden Mile, with some even travelling all the way from the west to find their friends here.

Travelers who are going to Malaysia by bus, will soon need to get used to departing or arriving in Singapore via a new terminal stop, instead of the Golden Mile building.

At the moment, about 8 bus operators are using the Golden Mile Complex as a bus terminal.