WP MPs Sylvia Lim, Dennis Tan visit residents after Hougang coffee shop fire - Singapore News

SINGAPORE: Members of Parliament from the Workers’ Party, Sylvia Lim and Dennis Tan, visited the scene of a fire that had broken out on Tuesday (May 5) at Block 106 Hougang Avenue 1.

Ms Lim, who chairs the WP, and Mr Tan, the vice-chair of the Aljunied-Hougang Town Council (AHTC), checked in on the households that had been affected by the fire, and wrote in a social media post, “Residents shared with us their harrowing experience while being grateful for making it through.”

Reports say that the fire had broken out in the early morning hours of May 5 and that the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) received an alert about it at around 4:50 a.m.

Before the SCDF officers arrived, around 40 people had been evacuated from the vicinity of the blaze, which involved a number of coffee shop stalls. 

In the aftermath of the blaze, five people were taken to the hospital to be assessed for smoke inhalation.

Officers from SCDF were able to extinguish the first using two water jets. What caused the incident, however, is still under investigation.

Ms Lim, who has been representing Aljunied in Parliament since 2011, wrote in a Facebook post: “On any other day or night, the Coffeeshop at Blk 106 Hougang Ave 1 would be bustling – with residents and workers from the vicinity enjoying the delicious food or sharing a bucket of beer.  Alas, a fire broke out this morning, which gutted the place.”

She added that Aljunied-Hougang Town Council (AHTC), together with contractors and agencies, including the Housing & Development Board (HDB), is working to restore normalcy to the area.

The WP chair thanked officers from the SCDF and the Singapore Police Force “for the tremendous work done.” 

“I wish everyone good health and safety in all endeavours,” she added.

This is not the first such incident in Hougang recently. On Feb 16, the day before Chinese New Year, a fire broke out at the void deck of Block 418 Hougang Avenue 8. SCDF officers were alerted to the blaze at around 12:45 pm. Together with members of the public, the police were fortunately able to put the fire out. However, three people were brought to Singapore General Hospital due to smoke inhalation.

Shortly afterwards, the area was visited by WP MP Gerald Giam, who chairs the AHTC.

“I spoke to several households, including those living directly above the site, to ensure they were safe and that their utilities remained functional,” he wrote in a social media post at the time. /TISG 

Read also: Man linked to three fires in Jurong arrested within two hours of report

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