Police probe possible dangerous act after 60-year-old man rescued from Toa Payoh fire

SINGAPORE: A fire incident occurred in a rental flat unit located in Toa Payoh, and a 60-year-old man was rescued and taken to the hospital for medical assistance. As reported by Shin Min Daily News, the fire broke out at around 9 a.m. last October 25, and concerned citizens admitted that there were at least three fire trucks present at the scene. 

Case details revealed that the Singapore Police Force confirmed receiving a report that an elderly man was taken to the hospital in a conscious state and is currently assisting with the investigation on suspicion of causing a dangerous fire hazard. The authorities declared that the fire involved items from a bedroom, and the personnel had extinguished the fire with a fire extinguisher.

Furthermore, the authorities needed to evacuate approximately 10 people for their safety. The real cause of the fire is still under investigation.

In an interview, it was believed that the elderly man was living in the unit alone when he was rescued. A neighbour shared that the man was a cleaner who usually rode a bicycle to work. 

Another resident shared that there was no thick black smoke or flames when the incident happened, and he only discovered that there was a fire when the civil defence personnel tried to break the back door of the unit.

Residents shared that the victim previously lived with his mother and was a friendly person who got along with his neighbours. 

In a separate incident, a fire at an HDB flat on Mei Ling Street left a woman trapped in her neighbouring apartment. The woman later recounted the frightening experience, saying she genuinely thought she was going to die.

Read more about the news story here.