SINGAPORE, Feb 23 — Residents in western Singapore woke up to the sight of thick columns of smoke arising from a huge fire in Tuas South this morning, with the police urging the public to avoid several nearby roads in the area.
The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said a fire had broken out at 23 Tuas View Circuit, the address of waste management company Eco Special Waste Management.
According to the SCDF, the premises measuring about 200m by 200m was fully engulfed in flames. SCDF is currently at work with three water monitors and 2 Unmanned Firefighting Machines.
SCDF deployed 9 fire engines, 5 Red Rhinos, 4 Unmanned Firefighting Machines, 1 ambulance, 15 support vehicle and about 200 SCDF responders to the incident.
According to a post on the SCDF’s Facebook page, the fire involved chemical waste and flammable materials.
Periodic explosions could be heard as firefighters battle the blaze to contain it within the affected premises.
The SCDF is also applying foam to suppress the fire in the drains within the immediate vicinity.
The police have urged the public to avoid both Tuas South Ave 3 and Tuas View Crescent while firefighting operations are underway.
A spokesperson for the SCDF said that they did not have any details of anyone being hurt in the incident
Driver Muhammad Firdaus Nooralam, 29, was about a street away and took a video.
“I decided to take the video so that other drivers thinking of heading that direction knows the incident and avoid that road,” he said.
However, he added that the smoke was so thick he could hardly see the firefighting vehicles.
“But I know (they were) there because (I could see) the red and blue lights. I drove off as the chemical smell was too strong,” he added, saying that he had heard an explosion when he was filming the video.
The firefighting operation is still going on. — TODAY
