Lorong Lew Lian fire: 94-year-old neighbour escapes barefoot with walking stick, later carried downstairs by firefighter

A 68-year-old man died after a fire broke out at a flat in Lorong Lew Lian estate in Upper Serangoon on Sep. 1.

The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said it was alerted to the fire at Block 8 Lorong Lew Lian at about 2:45pm on Tuesday.

When firefighters arrived, black smoke was seen coming from a third-floor unit.

An unconscious man was found in the living room during the firefighting operation.

Firefighters brought him out of the unit and performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) before he was taken to hospital.

The fire, which involved the contents of the living room, was extinguished using one water jet, SCDF said in a Facebook post.

Neighbour recalled last encounter with the man

In an interview with Shin Min Daily News, a neighbour who lived on the same floor said the man had a wife and three daughters.

The neighbour said that about two years ago, the man had a disagreement with his wife, after which she moved in with one of their children.

His personality changed drastically after that and he began hoarding items in the flat.

The neighbour also recalled that the unit was often kept very dark, with the lights switched off when she passed by.

The man would frequently light candles to illuminate the home, she observed.

He would also occasionally move things around in the middle of the night, she added, saying that he apologised after she spoke to him about it.

The neighbour also described their relationship as being almost like that between a father and daughter.

At around 6am on the morning of the fire, she saw him arranging items along the corridor while she was taking her 10-year-old son to school.

The man told her son: “You’re a good boy. Your future will be bright.”

The man's wife was also deeply shocked when she heard about his death, the neighbour further revealed.

When Shin Min returned to the block on Sep. 2, a strong burnt smell could still be detected.

Workers were also seen clearing belongings from the affected flat.

The unit appeared to be heavily cluttered, with items filling much of the living space.

94-year-old woman carried downstairs

According to Shin Min, a 94-year-old woman who lived next door to the affected unit escaped her flat barefoot with the help of a walking stick before a firefighter carried her downstairs.

When reporters arrived at the scene on Sep. 1, the woman, surnamed Huang, was spotted sitting downstairs with several volunteers attending to her.

Huang said she rushed out of her flat after seeing thick smoke.

In the process, she forgot to put on her shoes and take her hearing aid and keys.

As the affected flat was located near the lift, she was only able to make it as far as the staircase before a firefighter carried her downstairs.

Although Huang initially told those around her that she was fine, she later experienced some tightness in her chest.

Volunteers persuaded her to seek medical attention, after which she went to hospital for a medical examination.

"Very unfortunate and sad"

In a Facebook post on Sep. 1, Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC Member of Parliament (MP) Seah Kian Peng described the man's death as "very unfortunate and sad".

"I have known him for many years now and, in fact, last saw him not so long ago,” he wrote.

Describing the resident as "friendly", Seah said the man had lived in the block for many years and would be missed.

He added that agencies were working together to assist residents affected or inconvenienced by the fire.

He also thanked SCDF for its quick response, as well as the neighbours who helped those impacted.