Neighbours use crowbar to try to save family of five from Sengkang flat fire

When they realised their neighbours’ flat was on fire at nearly 3am, a couple in the construction business grabbed their crowbar and tried to pry open the front door.

The quick-thinking duo, who have four children, also worked with other neighbours to turn off the gas and electricity supply to the unit.

Even as thick black smoke was pouring out of the flat, the neighbours continued knocking on the door, hoping to wake the occupants up inside.

Fortunately, Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) firefighters arrived to rescue the family of five inside.

A fire broke out at a unit on the fourth storey at Block 280B Sengkang East Avenue, at around 2.45am on Wednesday.

The couple in the construction business, who wanted to be known as Mr and Mrs Ong, aged 40 and 50 respectively, live opposite the burning unit, where a couple, their 12 year-old daughter, and two sons aged 9 and two, live.

Mrs Ong said she and her husband were asleep when the doorbell rang. It was Mr and Mrs Siahaan from the fifth storey, who were alerting residents about the fire.

Mr Ong - who runs a construction business with his wife - grabbed a crowbar from his flat and tried to pry open the metal gate of the unit.

His wife said: “We also tried to turn off the gas and electricity supply as we were scared there would be an explosion.”

Just as Mr Ong was about to pry open the metal gate, SCDF firefighters arrived and used cutting tools to force their way into the flat.

They extinguished the fire with a water jet and rescued the family, who were inside one of the bedrooms.

They were taken to the Singapore General Hospital for smoke inhalation. One of the adults also suffered minor burn injuries, said the SCDF.

Mrs Siahaan, 36, had called 995 after hearing someone screaming and the sound of glass breaking.

She looked out of her kitchen window and saw smoke pouring out from the fourth storey unit.

Mr Siahaan said the two couples removed a shoe rack blocking the electrical riser and the four of them continually banged on the door of the burning unit, hoping to alert them to the fire.

But there was no response.

Mr Siahaan, a 38-year-old who works in IT sales, said: “I was worried they might have fainted.”

About 50 residents were evacuated by the SCDF and the police.

When The Straits Times arrived at 10.30am, staff from Sengkang Town Council and SCDF investigators were at the unit. Black soot marks covered the walls above the front door.

One of the residents, a 37-year-old woman who only wanted to be known as Mrs Tan, said she was woken by the sound of glass shattering.

Seeing thick black smoke enter their open windows, Mrs Tan quickly woke her family and ran down with them.

Said Mrs Tan, who works in the insurance industry: “I heard (the family in the affected unit) shouting for help, and I was shouting back at them to tell them help was on the way. They were panicking, and so was I.”

Mr Ong said he returned to his unit later to bring down his pet birds, and saw a man covered in soot emerging from the burnt unit.

Said Mr Ong: “His face was bloody.”

Mrs Ong said she later saw a woman covered in soot and asked her if her family was all right.

Said Mrs Ong: “She couldn’t breathe well, but said everything was okay. When I asked if her children were out of the flat, she pointed to the ambulance.”

Mrs Ong said the family had moved in around three years ago, and they would exchange the occasional greeting.

SCDF said preliminary investigations indicate the fire was likely of electrical origin in the kitchen.

Commander of Sengkang Fire Station, Major Othman Sharif, told ST: “In a fire and rescue situation, time is of the essence, and we had to act fast. Our priority was to save the lives of the occupants, knowing they were trapped in the unit.

“We found five occupants in one of the bedrooms and quickly rescued them from the unit while firefighting was ongoing.”

Mrs Ong said it was only natural for them to help their neighbours.

She said: “If this had happened to us, we would also hope others would try to help us and our family. We treat others like how we want to be treated.”