A ceremonial funeral for late firefighter Captain Tay Xue Qin Kenneth was held on Monday, May 20 morning.

The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) officer died on May 16, while battling an early morning fire onboard a marine vessel anchored in the southwest of Singapore.

The fallen officer was accorded ceremonial honours at his funeral at Kor Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery.

SCDF conducted the "Last Call" parade and broadcast the fire call alarm at 7am across all 23 of its fire stations, HQ SCDF, the Division HQs and the Civil Defence Academy.

About 200 SCDF officers paid their respects at the observation ceremony.

The blinkers and sirens of all SCDF emergency vehicles were also then turned on as a mark of respect.

In the light drizzle at around 9am, 150 officers from various SCDF divisions led the funeral procession with a Light Fire Attack Vehicle, also known as Red Rhino, at the front.

Eight of Tay's colleagues also escorted the coffin — which had been draped in the Singapore flag — as the pallbearing party.

At the crematorium, friends and family paid their respects before sending in the coffin, while wreaths were laid in honour of the late officer.

SCDF Commissioner Eric Yap also presented the state flag to Tay's parents.

As a final farewell, a bugle call was sounded by the Singapore Police Force band, to symbolise the end of the late officer's duty to his nation.

A minute of silence was observed just before the cremation of the late firefighter, "who had made the ultimate sacrifice in service of the nation", SCDF said in a press statement.

His parents were seen leaving the site at around 10:40am.

A passionate leader

According to the SCDF, Tay had been a regular officer since 2017.

A passionate leader who served as a para-counsellor, Tay also excelled in various proficiency and certification tests, having obtained a "Gold" standard for his Individual Physical Proficiency Test (IPPT) on several occasions.

Speaking at the last call for Tay at the SCDF HQ this morning, Yap said: "For those of us who knew him personally, we know how passionate he was in his work."

"We will remember Captain Kenneth's selflessness, professionalism, and commitment."

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Top image by Andrew Koay