The man who died following an early morning fire at a Whampoa block of flats on May 6 was a hawker.

According to Shin Min Daily News, the deceased, Cai Wanyuan (transliteration from Mandarin), was a nasi lemak seller at Whampoa Food Centre.

His younger brother, aged 58, a fellow hawker, said his elder brother had been selling nasi lemak for the past 40 years. He said:

"At about 2am, I was told my brother's house was on fire, so I rushed to the scene. I saw my mother downstairs. She was frightened and in shock, but she was well and was later sent to the hospital."

The other person conveyed to the hospital was his sister-in-law.

The Singapore Civil Defence Force said a person was found in the bedroom of the unit on fire and was pronounced dead at the scene.

The fire at block 76 Lorong Limau at around 2:30am left one dead, with another two people conveyed to hospital.

Two women, aged 60 and 77, were found in the kitchen's utility room.

The firefighters rescued them and conveyed them to Singapore General Hospital.

Thick smoke and flames were seen billowing from the unit on the sixth floor.

About 200 people from neighbouring units were evacuated.

Top photos via SCDF & Google Maps