Car catches fire at Kaki Bukit workshop, one person taken to hospital

SINGAPORE – A fire broke out on Christmas Eve at a car workshop in Kaki Bukit, with one person taken to the hospital.

The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said it was alerted to the fire at 2 Kaki Bukit Avenue 2 at about 1.20pm on Saturday.

The address is for Kaki Bukit AutoHub, a two-storey ramp-up industrial building that houses a number of automotive maintenance and repair shops.

The fire involved the contents of a car in a workshop on the first floor, and was extinguished by firefighters using two water jets.

Police and SCDF personnel evacuated about 20 people from the affected premise, and one person was sent to Singapore General Hospital (SGH).

“Patients who sustained smoke inhalation or serious burn injuries but are in stable condition will be conveyed to SGH’s specialised Burn Centre instead of the nearest hospital,” said an SCDF spokesman.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Separately, SCDF said it has stepped up enforcement checks of commercial premises where increased footfall is expected during this year-end period.

A total of 19 fire safety violations were detected during its checks last week, with 17 Fire Hazard Abatement Notices (FHAN) and 2 Notices of Offence (NOO) issued to the responsible entities.

A FHAN is a written warning that requires errant parties to clear a fire hazard within a specific time frame and prevent its recurrence.

A NOO, which carries a composition fine of up to $5,000, is issued if the hazard is not cleared in time, and for more serious contraventions. Court action may be taken if fire hazards stated in the NOO are not rectified, added the spokesman.

Some of the violations found during its inspections include the non-maintenance of fire safety measures such as exit light, emergency light and fire extinguisher, as well as obstruction to hose reel, fireman access panel and emergency escape routes.

“SCDF will be continuing with its stepped-up fire safety enforcement checks throughout the festive season,” it said. “Operators of commercial premises are reminded to always comply with fire safety requirements to protect the safety of everyone.”