In response to queries, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said it was alerted to the fire at Block 413 Bukit Batok West Avenue 4 at 3.50am. The fire involved three food stalls at a coffee shop on the ground floor, it added.
As a precaution, the police and SCDF evacuated about 30 people from the affected block. SCDF officers entered the coffee shop by force and extinguished the fire using two water jets.
One of the evacuated persons was taken to Ng Teng Fong General Hospital. The cause of the fire is under investigation, said SCDF. In a Facebook post, Hong Kah North MP Lee Hong Chuang said he had visited the affected block, and that he observed “no significant impact” on the residents living on the second floor.
“However, at one unit, I could feel that the floor was slightly warm. I advised the family to exercise extra caution and keep their little one away from the kitchen floor for the time being, as young children’s skin can be more sensitive to heat,” he said.
Lee also said: “Beyond the physical damage within the coffee shop, we must also remember the people whose lives and livelihoods have been affected”. He added that “behind every stall are hardworking individuals and families who need some time to clear up and start over again”.