Residents extinguish fire before firefighters arrive in Singapore
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Residents of Admiralty Grove in Woodlands, Singapore, responded to a fire in their HDB block’s corridor on September 14 by working together to extinguish the flames before the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) arrived.
Faith Chong discovered the fire after hearing explosions near her eighth-floor flat and immediately alerted her neighbour and attempted to help. Her husband, Jeffrey Lim, used their personal fire extinguisher to suppress the fire, allowing the occupants of the affected unit to escape.
After the extinguisher ran out, several boys from the estate joined the effort, using the building’s communal fire hose and assistance from other residents who brought water pails. Lim also retrieved a wet towel to help those fighting the fire avoid smoke inhalation. The SCDF confirmed the fire originated with a shoe rack in the common corridor and that residents successfully put it out prior to their arrival.
The police received multiple calls for help at 9:35 pm and are currently investigating the cause of the fire. No injuries were reported, though photos show damage to the ceiling, walls, and an exercise bike outside the affected flat. Chong described the response as a display of “kampung spirit,” a sense of community and mutual support, and referenced the Disney film Lilo & Stitch, saying “Ohana means family, family means no one gets left behind.”
