Fire breaks out at Balestier Road building
A fire broke out at a buildingin Balestier Road on Tuesday (June 28) that houses a lighting shop and a student hostel.
A Facebook post by the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) on Tuesday afternoon said firefighters were managing the blaze.
SCDF said 10 people had evacuated the building before SCDF arrived, and no injuries have been reported so far.
The building at 529 Balestier Road houses Milchel, a student hostel for international students, and Zesprion, a language coaching centre that prepares international students for school admission tests into local primary and secondary schools.
The first level is occupied by retail units, which include New Balestier Lighting and House of Tau Sar Piah, a bakery.
When The Straits Times arrived at around 4.30pm, there were at least eight firefighters spraying water into the lighting shop.
Thick smoke was billowing from the interior of the unit.
Smoke could also be seen coming out from the roof of the building.
Mr Ignatius Coleman Alexander, 28, a Muay Thai coach at the gym opposite, said he saw smoke coming out from the unit and through the roof at around 2pm.
He said: "I saw some people running out from the spa next door."
An employee who works in a nearby outletsaid she had heard a loud boom coming from the lighting shop at around 1.45pm.
About eight fire engines and five police cars were at the scene.
Police officers were also diverting traffic on the three-lane road.
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