Quick action quells washing machine fire in Ang Mo Kio HDB
A fire broke out in a Housing Board flat in Ang Mo Kio on the afternoon of Nov 10 after a washing machine went up in flames.
Preliminary investigation indicates that the blaze, which happened in the service yard of the unit on the 20th floor, was likely of electrical origin, said the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF).
The agency was alerted to the fire at Block 260B Ang Mo Kio Street 21 at about 3.25pm. There were no reported injuries.
A video of the incident that was shared with The Straits Times shows flames inside the affected unit. The units above are partially covered by the rising black smoke.
The fire was extinguished by members of the public using buckets of water and a dry-powder extinguisher before the SCDF arrived.
There were 1,954 fires in total in 2023, an 8.6 per cent hike from the 1,799 cases in 2022. Of the 1,954 fires, 970 took place in residential buildings, an increase of 3.7 per cent from the 935 in 2022.
The top two causes were electrical fires, with 597 cases; and unattended cooking, with 456 cases, according to SCDF statistics.
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