Six taken to hospital after fire breaks out in Sengkang HDB flat
A fire in a Sengkang HDB flat sent six people to hospital and saw about 120 residents evacuated as a precaution on Friday, 12 June 2026.
Six people were taken to hospital after a fire broke out in a bedroom of a third-floor flat at Block 125 Rivervale Street, Sengkang, on the afternoon of Friday, 12 June 2026.
The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said it was alerted to the fire at about 4.10pm. Firefighters extinguished the blaze using a water jet.
SCDF said no one was in the affected unit when its officers arrived at the scene. The six people taken ill were sent to Singapore General Hospital for smoke inhalation.
About 120 residents from the affected block were evacuated as a precautionary measure. The police carried out the evacuation, while SCDF confirmed the firefighting operation.
Footage circulating on the social media platform Xiaohongshu on 12 June showed flames billowing from a window of the third-storey unit, with black smoke rising as high as the 17th floor. At least four fire engines were seen at the scene.
A section of the ground floor directly below the affected unit was cordoned off due to debris and broken glass. A window panel believed to belong to the affected bedroom was shattered in the fire.
Photographs shared by Bernadette Giam, adviser to Sengkang GRC grassroots organisations, showed black soot marks along the external facade and corridor of the affected block.
In a Facebook post at 7pm on 12 June, Giam thanked first responders for their swift action. She said grassroots volunteers were checking in with residents and assisting those affected, including providing support to displaced households.
In a further Facebook post on Saturday, 13 June 2026, Giam said she had met with affected residents following the fire. She noted that the occupant of the affected unit had escaped unharmed, despite the blaze causing extensive damage to the home. Giam said the family was transitioning to temporary accommodation while restoration works were arranged, and that she would call on the Mayor's Fund to help support them as they worked with insurers on reinstating their home.
She added that several neighbouring households had also been affected by soot and smoke damage, with her team and volunteers assisting residents with cleaning efforts and immediate concerns. Giam thanked SCDF officers, grassroots leaders and staff for their support, and said affected families would continue to receive assistance in the days ahead.
Separately, in a Facebook post on Saturday, 13 June 2026, Louis Chua, Member of Parliament for Sengkang GRC, said arrangements were being made for affected households. These included temporary accommodation, cleaning services, and the provision of basic furniture and living essentials.
Chua thanked the SCDF, the police, the Housing and Development Board (HDB) and the Sengkang Town Council for their assistance. He also urged residents to remind friends and family about fire safety, and to ensure adequate fire insurance is taken out for their homes.
The cause of the Sengkang fire remains under investigation.
This was the second fire reported in Singapore on 12 June 2026. Earlier that day, about 80 firefighters and 20 emergency vehicles were deployed to a fire at an industrial warehouse in Tuas. There were no reported injuries in that incident.
According to SCDF's latest annual statistics, released in February 2026, the total number of fires in Singapore rose by 3 per cent, from 1,990 in 2024 to 2,050 in 2025. Of these, 1,051 occurred in residential buildings.
