Fire at HDB Hub: Visitors to expect longer waiting times
Customers at HDB Hub in Toa Payoh may experience longer wait times for appointments due to a disruption caused by a fire that broke out in the building on Oct 2, the Housing Board said.
“A fire broke out at around noon today in the basement 3 bin centre of HDB Hub at Toa Payoh Lorong 6,” HDB said in a Facebook post.
“SCDF was activated and the fire has been extinguished. SCDF is currently on-site conducting (an) investigation into the cause of the fire.”
HDB added that its “foremost consideration is the safety of our staff, customers and members of the public at HDB Hub”.
“We thank the public for their patience,” it said.
When The Straits Times arrived at about 1.45pm, three fire engines, a rescue vehicle and two ambulances were in the area. At least 10 firemen were also at the scene.
Ms Nafisah, 43, said a public announcement told people to evacuate the building at about noon.
The admin executive, who works on the fourth floor of the building, said evacuees did not know yet what had happened and waited to see if they would be allowed to return to their offices.
An HDB Hub employee, who asked to be known only as Ms J, said the fire alarm rang at about 12.45pm and there was an announcement that a fire had occurred in the basement of the building.
“All the lifts stopped operating, so my colleagues and I had to take the stairs down from the 28th floor,” the 49-year-old told ST. “It was orderly and everyone was quite calm.”
An announcement at about 2.05pm said the building has resumed full operation, but asked people to avoid the loading and unloading bay in basement 3.
HDB Hub, the Housing Board’s headquarters, is located next to Toa Payoh MRT station. It consists of retail spaces with an indoor plaza, and a 33-storey office tower.
ST has contacted the Singapore Civil Defence Force and police for more information.
- Additional reporting by Andrew Wong and Nadine Chua
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