Family's HDB flat in Mountbatten gets burned in fire, S'poreans to the rescue with donations

The family is now raising funds for renovation works.

Tanya Ong | June 12, 2018, 09:20 PM

Singaporeans can be a warm-hearted and giving bunch when it comes to helping others in need.

One family learnt this after their HDB flat got burned in a fire.

When Singaporeans learnt of the catastrophe, many of them offered donations and gestures of goodwill to help the family tide through a difficult time.

House burned in fire

On June 11, Jocelyn Tan took to Facebook to write about a fire at her aunt's house in Mountbatten.

"Everything [was] gone" after the fire, she wrote.

Tan also posted several photos of the burnt flat, showing the extent of the damage within the flat:

Tan also uploaded two videos showing both the inside of the flat, as well as the common corridor outside:

 

Netizens respond to appeal for help

In her Facebook post, Tan explained that the family is not well-to-do.

According to her, her aunt is not working, a cousin is studying and her uncle is undergoing dialysis, leaving only one of her cousins working to support the entire family.

Given this set of circumstances, she appealed for donations for household items.

In response to her plea, many kind netizens have offered to donate items such as kitchen appliances, beds and cutlery.

Others offered transport services and even food catering:

MP Lim Biow Chuan helps out

On the post, one of the family members, Francis Ng, shared that Lim Biow Chuan, Member of Parliament for Mountbatten SMC, visited the family together with some grassroots leaders.

Ng also said that Lim was helping the family find a temporary house at that time.

Lim has also commented on the post, revealing that his grassroots leaders have "bought some stuff for [her] aunt" and will send them to her.

He also suggested that Tan can ask for cash donations instead to avoid duplicate items:

Tan's Facebook post was subsequently updated with the family's temporary living address at Cassia Crescent at about 5.30pm on June 11.

Later that night, she also notified netizens that the family has received more than enough donation items.

"We are currently raising funds for the renovation," she added.

This is the Facebook post:

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This is her post in case you can't see it:

 

Top photo composite image, photos by Jocelyn Tan.