Elderly woman dies in fire in Choa Chu Kang flat

About 150 residents evacuated from block; woman is 8th reported fire fatality in 2024

- Fatimah Mujibah and Andrew Wong

A 79-year-old woman died in a fire that broke out in a Choa Chu Kang Housing Board flat in the wee hours of Sept 24.

In a Facebook post, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said firefighters from Bukit Batok Fire Station and Woodlands Fire Station were alerted to a fire at Block 692A Choa Chu Kang Crescent at about 5.30am.

"The fire involved the living room and a bedroom of a unit on the ninth floor. Firefighters had to conduct forcible entry to gain access into the unit," said SCDF.

"The fire was extinguished with a water jet and two compressed air foam backpacks. As a result of the fire, the rest of the unit also sustained heat and smoke damage." According to SCDF, the victim was found inside one of the bedrooms and was carried out of the flat by firefighters.

She was pronounced dead at the scene by a paramedic, said SCDF, adding that there was no one else inside the affected unit.

About 150 residents were evacuated from the block by police and SCDF as a precautionary measure.

The cause of the fire is under investigation. Police said that based on preliminary findings, they did not suspect foul play.

This is the eighth reported fire fatality in 2024 the figure has almost tripled from the three fatalities in 2023.