Man, 44, arrested after fire breaks out at Joo Seng Road flat, 8 people taken to hospital
A 44-year-old man was arrested after a fire broke out in a Potong Pasir flat on May 4.
In response to a Stomp query, police said the man was arrested at the scene for mischief by fire.
The police and the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) were alerted to the fire at Block 14 Joo Seng Road at about 9.40pm.
Upon arrival, firefighters saw a blaze raging inside a unit on the 18th floor.
“The fire, which engulfed the whole unit, was extinguished by firefighters with two water jets,” SCDF said in a Facebook post.
Three people from the affected unit had evacuated before SCDF arrived.
Eight people were assessed for smoke inhalation and conveyed to Singapore General Hospital.
During the operation, two firefighters also felt unwell and were taken to hospital as a precaution.
SCDF said preliminary findings indicate the fire could have been intentionally started.
Witness saw flames from unit
Stomper Daniel, who witnessed the incident, said he saw the fire from his room at around 10pm.
“I called 995 but they already knew about it,” he said. “It took more than an hour to bring down the fire.
“It started in the centre of the unit and spread to the right side.”
Videos he shared show flames raging from the unit, with thick smoke billowing into the night sky.
Other clips show several SCDF vehicles and police cars at the scene, while the area below the block was cordoned off with police tape as a crowd gathered.
Police investigations are ongoing.
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