Fire breaks out at Chinatown TCM shop: 2 taken to hospital, 40 evacuated
About 40 people were evacuated and two were taken to hospital after a fire broke out at a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) shop in Chinatown on Nov 11.
Stomper Desmond shared a video taken at about 1.15pm, showing smoke rising from Block 34 Upper Cross Street and several emergency vehicles at the scene.
He told Stomp that he spotted the incident opposite the State Courts.
“Smoke was seen coming out of the shops at the void deck,” he said.
The wife of the owner of Ming Tai Medical and Trading was seen running out of the premises at about 12.30pm, The Straits Times reported.
A check on the shop’s website shows that it sells Chinese herbs as well as liquor and wine.
In response to Stomp’s queries, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said it was alerted to the fire at about 12.50pm.
“The fire involved contents in the storage area of a commercial unit on the first floor,” an SCDF spokesperson said.
Firefighters forced their way into the unit and extinguished the blaze using a water jet.
About 40 people were evacuated from the affected block by the police as a precaution.
SCDF assessed two people for smoke inhalation and conveyed them to Singapore General Hospital.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
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