River Valley fire: School hails teachers as 'heroes' for using fire extinguishers to prevent 'even greater tragedy'

Tomato Cooking School, which was involved in a fire that took the life of a child and injured 18 others, has commended its teachers for their bravery and quick action in preventing an "even greater tragedy".

The school put up a Facebook post on April 12, commending several teachers for their "incredible bravery", including those from [Newtonshow Camp] and Tomato Cooking School.

"We want to express our gratitude to the teachers Haida Waty, Fazidah, Keith, Linxuan, Sarah Mae, Jasmine, Kishen, Farah Adriana, Tria Medura, Nabihah, Krishna, Ashley, Syahira, Sonia, Sarah Aman, Annalicia and Aisyah who acted with incredible bravery. These teachers risked their own safety to ensure kids were safely evacuated."

The school also expressed its sadness at the death of a 10-year-old Australian girl as well as the injuries sustained by the others.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the family during this difficult time. Nothing can take away the pain but we are so grateful that the efforts of these individuals averted greater loss. The swift thinking and use of the fire extinguishers [helped] delay the spread. Your strength, courage, and dedication in the face of danger made all the difference. You are more than educators — in our eyes, you are heroes, and we will always remember your bravery."

The incident

The fire broke out at 278 River Valley Road on Apr. 8. This is the address of a three-storey shophouse which housed Newtonshow Camp, an enrichment centre.

Tomato Cooking School is one of several brands under Newtonshow Camp.

On the morning of the fire, children were seen perched on a ledge outside the third-storey windows.

Migrant workers who were on the scene helped to rescue the children by erecting scaffolding outside the shophouse.

Only first floor approved for use as enrichment centre

The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) said on Apr. 9 that only the first storey of the shophouse was approved for use as a children’s enrichment centre, while the second and third storeys, as well as the attic, were approved for residential use.

Under the Planning Act, parties found to be guilty of unauthorised use of premises shall be liable to a fine up to S$200,000.

Based on the past decisions listed on the URA website, the first storey has approval for use as a children enrichment centre from Mar. 15, 2023 to Apr. 22, 2026.

To carry out a change of the property's use, an application must be submitted for URA's assessment and the landowner's consent must be obtained before making the application.

The SCDF also found instances of fire safety non-compliance, including unauthorised works involving the erection of partitions within the premises.

Centre working with authorities on investigation

In response to Lianhe Zaobao, a representative from Newton Show Camp said it has immediately taken all necessary measures to ensure the safety of children and staff.

A statement by Tomato Cooking School was put up on Facebook on Apr. 9.

"Our management and executive teams are fully committed to this matter and are working closely with the relevant authorities to investigate the cause of the incident and confirm whether safety procedures were followed."

The centre said it would provide updates.

Many victims were international students

Most of the victims were international students, Zaobao reported, including the deceased.

One of the youngest victims to be injured is the eight-year-old son of Pawan Kalyan, the deputy chief minister of Indian state Andhra Pradesh.

A press release issued by Kalyan’s JanaSena Party said that the fire caused the boy to suffer burns on his hands and legs, and the smoke inhalation also affected his lungs.

He is receiving treatment in a hospital in Singapore.

A mother surnamed Fu told Zaobao that international schools were on term break for two weeks, so many parents had sent their children to participate in summer camps.

"I signed up for the outdoor exploration course for my child this time. I went out today, so I escaped."

Out of the 22 people affected, six were adults aged between 23 and 55, and 16 were children aged between six and 10.

Based on preliminary investigations, the police do not suspect foul play, they confirmed with Mothership.

Top image: SCDF/Facebook