6 rescued from Kovan condo unit after fire breaks out, 1 suffers burn injuries

A fire broke out in a two-storey unit at Kovan Regency condominium in the early hours of Feb. 19, trapping six people inside.

The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said in a Facebook post that it was alerted to the blaze at 6 Kovan Rise at about 2:30am.

Six people were rescued from the unit, three of whom were taken to the hospital.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Firefighting

Firefighters from Sengkang Fire Station, supported by Paya Lebar and Kallang fire stations, responded to the incident.

Upon arrival, firefighters heard shouts for help and pounding on doors from within the 14th-floor unit.

They immediately entered the smoke-filled apartment and conducted a search, finding four people on the first level and two on the second level.

The fire, which involved the kitchen and living room on the first level, was extinguished using a water jet.

The rest of the unit sustained varying degrees of heat and smoke damage, SCDF said.

Of the six people rescued, three were assessed for smoke inhalation, with one also sustaining burn injuries.

All three were taken to Singapore General Hospital. The remaining three were assessed at the scene and did not require ambulance assistance.

About 100 residents had self-evacuated from the affected block before SCDF’s arrival.

A resident told Shin Min Daily News that she saw two women and a man receiving oxygen downstairs.

Another man, who had burns on his hands and feet, was lying on a stretcher, she said.

Top-floor unit engulfed in flames

A Shin Min reader shared a video showing the top-floor unit fully engulfed in flames.

Fire alarms rang throughout the condominium as residents screamed, Shin Min reported.

At one point, an object fell amid the blaze, triggering another scream before the video cut off.

One resident told Shin Min reporters that she heard a commotion when the fire broke out. When she went downstairs, she saw a large crowd gathered and realised the top-floor unit of the adjacent block was on fire.

She said most residents remained calm and evacuated in an orderly manner under the authorities’ guidance.

Another resident said she was woken by her daughter-in-law, who informed her of the fire in the building across the street.

Those who had evacuated were allowed to return to their homes within an hour, Shin Min reported.

When reporters visited the site later that morning, SCDF personnel were seen conducting final safety checks before leaving at about 10am.

Top photos from Shin Min Daily News