Fire at NTU: 1 person taken to hospital, about 100 people evacuated

One person was taken to hospital on Apr. 17 afternoon after a fire broke out at the Nanyang Technological University (NTU).

Fume hood fire

The SCDF, responding to Mothership, said they were alerted to a fire at 21 Nanyang Link at around 1:50pm on Apr. 17.

NTU, reply to a query from Mothership, said that "a small isolated fire limited to a fume cupboard" had broken out at a research laboratory.

21 Nanyang Link is the address of NTU’s School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology (CCEB), as well as its School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences (SPMS).

The fire was reportedly extinguished by building staff with a fire extinguisher before SCDF arrived, and one person was taken to the Singapore General Hospital (SGH).

NTU said the fire had been put out by a member of NTU’s Emergency Response Team, and that one post graduate student had been conveyed conscious to the hospital.

NTU added that the university is in contact with the student, and is providing the necessary support.

Meanwhile, SCDF is investigating the cause of the fire.

About 100 evacuated

Posts on social media claimed about 100 staff and students were evacuated from the building.

A Facebook post indicated that the fire was suspected to have occurred at a CCEB lab, and that over 100 people were evacuated, and that the building was cordoned off.

Several fire trucks and ambulances were reported to have attended to the incident.

A post on Reddit confirmed that the SPMS facilities were also affected, and that students had been evacuated until around 2:50pm, when they were told that the SCDF were investigating the fire.

About an hour later, they were informed they could return to the buildings.

Student discharged

NTU, in an update to the story, has informed Mothership that the student has been discharged on the afternoon of Apr. 18.

Top image via Vaster News/Facebook