2 killed in fire in Hougang
Two people were pronounced dead at the scene of a fire at a Housing Board block in Hougang on Jan 9, during which about 30 residents on the first seven floors were evacuated.
The victims were found inside a bedroom during the firefighting operation, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said in a Facebook post.
It earlier said it was fighting a fire in a unit on the third floor of Block 971 Hougang Street 91.
Firefighters forced entry into the affected unit, but encountered challenges entering due to an excessive number of items inside, SCDF added.
It was alerted to the fire at about 12.40pm, and with the help of the police, evacuated occupants from levels one to seven as a precautionary measure. According to PropertyGuru, the affected block has 15 floors.
A resident of a nearby block, who declined to be named, reported hearing two loud bangs past noon.
“I realised there was a fire only when I saw smoke from outside my window,” she said, adding that she was startled by the loud noises.
The Straits Times has contacted the police for more information.
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