She calls TNP about fire before being evacuated
Woman calls TNP about Tampines building blaze
It was the largest industrial fire this year, with 110 firefighters activated to battle it over more than 16 hours.
It started last Wednesday afternoon at the CK Building in Tampines and was put out only around 6am the next day.
A reader of The New Paper quickly realised it would be big news and contacted our hotline.
No one was injured in the blaze, apart from a firefighter who was taken to hospital for heat exhaustion.
An 59-year-old administrative clerk, who wanted to be known only as Madam Tan, was in the building next-door - 37A Tampines Street 92.
She was with a group of colleagues during lunchtime when one of them saw the smoke at around 1.30pm.
Immediately, she called the TNP hotline to alert us.
"I thought the fire would be serious because this is an industrial area," she said.
"At first, we just saw some smoke. Then, the flames spread like wildfire."
The building where she works was evacuated shortly after.
Madam Tan said: "The whole area was cordoned off, and I left when our HR (human resources department) told us we were not allowed to go back in."
Her office was closed last Thursday as safety checks had to be conducted.
She said: "I feel grateful because the whole operation was very well-coordinated. We were evacuated quickly and the fire engines came very fast.
"The firefighters braved the heat and the falling debris."
The report was published as TNP's cover story last Thursday.
Another hotline caller, who wanted to be known as Madam Yu, was in her husband's car when she spotted a topless woman in the middle of the road on Nicoll Highway last Monday.
The senior personal assistant did a Google search for TNP's hotline number and called us.
Madam Yu, 51, a TNP reader for more than 10 years, felt the situation was dangerous not only for the woman, but for all those on the road.
"I was just curious as to why these things happen," she said.
A report on the incident was published last Tuesday.
A reader also contacted TNP about what looked like smoke coming out of a train at Tanjong Pagar MRT station last Monday.
SMRT said it was freon gas which had leaked from the train's air-conditioning system.
That report was also published last Tuesday.
Another reader e-mailed TNP photos of a vehicle on fire at Ubi Avenue 1 last Tuesday.
A cleaner was in his automated road sweeper when it burst into flames.
He escaped unhurt.
A report on the incident was published last Wednesday.
For sharing these stories, each hotline caller will receive a $100 KFC voucher.
We value and appreciate your calls and e-mails, so keep them coming.
You can call us at 1800-733-4455, SMS or MMS 9477-8899 or e-mail us at tnp@sph.com.sg
"I feel grateful because the whole operation was very well coordinated. We were evacuated quickly and the fire engines came very fast."
- Madam Tan
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