SINGAPORE, July 31 — An underground pipe leak may have caused the dry rising main at Block 229 Toa Payoh Lorong 8 to malfunction during a fire on July 29, the Bishan-Toa Payoh Town Council said.
The Straits Times reported that firefighters had encountered issues with the dry riser, which did not work properly during the fire that broke out around 1pm and engulfed a 10th floor flat, spreading to the unit above.
In a statement today, the town council said it conducted a joint inspection of the dry riser with the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF).
“In our discussion with SCDF, the probable reason for the failure of the dry riser could be due to an underground pipe leak,” it said.
The specific dry riser was last tested on August 28, 2024, by an authorised fire prevention and protection system contractor and found to be in working condition, the council said.
The next inspection is scheduled for August 5.
The town council said SCDF requires an annual hydrostatic test for the dry riser, which includes checks to detect such leaks.
Seven people, including a firefighter and a child, were taken to hospital following the incident.
On July 30, SCDF said firefighters could not charge water to the affected floors due to the malfunctioning dry riser and had to set up hoses from the fire engine up the staircase to the 10th and 11th floors.
ST also reported that in August 2020, a similar issue occurred at Block 138C Lorong 1A Toa Payoh, where a wet riser system was not functioning during a fire on the 20th floor.
In response, the town council said the two incidents involved different fire suppression systems and were unrelated.
