NUS building caught fire, 4 in hospital

A fire broke out this afternoon in a building at the engineering faculty of the National University of Singapore.

One civilian and three firefighters were sent to the hospital, the Singapore Civil Defence Force told The Straits Times.

A spokesperson from the university said that a contract security guard working in the building - block E3A - was sent to the National University Hospital for smoke inhalation. SCDF said the three firefighters suffered heat exhaustion.

The SCDF received a call about the fire at around 2.40pm, and its spokesperson said the fire is under control, although The Straits Times reported that rescue workers were still working on two floors of the building at 5pm.

The Straits Times community portal STOMP posted pictures of the fire, with huge plumes of smoke and flames seen coming out of the building and the rooftop. It was visible many kilometres away in the condominiums around the Kent Ridge campus.

One STOMP contributor called “Weilin” also reported hearing an explosion.

Ms Mok Qing Lin, 22, an engineering student at the scene, told Todayonline that there were about 100 students and teaching staff members who were evacuated from the building. It is vacation period, if not, the numbers would have been more.

The NUS spokesperson said that apart from the guard who was sent to hospital, no one else was hurt and the affected building and the surrounding areas are being cordoned off for safety reasons.

It is investigating the cause of the fire.

Source: insing

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