73-year-old, living alone, badly burnt in explosion due to possible gas leak
A MASSIVE blast ripped through a one-room rental flat at Blk 105 Jalan Bukit Merah on Friday, landing two elderly victims in the Intensive Care Unit — one in critical condition with serious burns.
What was one of the worst explosions ever to take place in a housing estate occurred at around 6am.
Residents were jolted awake by two loud blasts in a sixth-floor unit. Its occupant, Mr Chan Fook Seng, 73, a part-time chef, suffered 80 per cent first-degree burns and was warded in critical condition at the Singapore General Hospital (SGH).
In a press statement, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said Mr Chan "was found standing in the kitchen and was conscious when SCDF officers brought him out of the unit".
The other victim, Mdm Chan Soo Ngan — who is in her 70s and, like her immediate neighbour Mr Chan, lived alone — was trapped in her flat when debris from the blast blocked her gate.
She was hospitalised for smoke inhalation burns, but her condition has since stabilised. Four other casualties were treated at SGH for smoke inhalation, said the SCDF.
Residents believe that Mr Chan, a widower who has two kids but lives alone, was in the shower when the explosions — possibly caused by a gas leak — occurred.
The SCDF was alerted at 6.15am and brought the fire under control within 10 minutes of arriving at the scene. It is investigating the cause of the fire.
In the aftermath, the scene at Blk 105 — which comprises one-room rental flats only — resembled a war zone, with loose wires hanging from the ceiling, collapsed gates, puddles of water from burst pipes, and an entire wall blasted into rubble.
Distraught neighbour Ms Mohd Nizam Bin said she first felt that something was amiss when she opened her door and saw thick white smoke.
"I thought my neighbour was burning incense," said the 33-year-old, who lives two doors away from Mr Chan.
"But then I heard the explosions, and saw the entire wall collapse. I was scared to death. I just thought of grabbing my valuables and running."
Mr Suherwan Jasmani, 27, a safety supervisor who lives next door to Mr Chan, said: "I was sleeping when I heard the first explosion.
"I looked outside and saw that his wall was ruptured, pieces of it falling to the ground. I went out to take a closer look, and that was when the second explosion occurred."
Black smoke quickly engulfed the entire floor, and residents ran for their lives. Nine households were damaged by the blast. The HDB will relocate them — including the two hospitalised victims — to other units in the same area.
Minister of State for Defence Koo Tsai Kee, the area's MP, visited the site on Friday morning. Affected families were given $200 each in cash and vouchers, and Professor Koo said more help was available, reported Channel NewsAsia.
Meanwhile, the Sarah Senior Activity Centre on the second floor was turned into a relief centre, and the National Council of Social Service said it would work with other agencies to help the injured residents as well as offer counselling services.
According to centre manager Tristan Gwee, Mr Chan was a cheerful man who used to volunteer at the centre by cooking lunch for the elderly on weekdays. He only stopped when he was offered a job as a part-time chef with a food caterer.
In response to queries, a Tanjong Pagar Town Council spokesman told Today it had last held the annual fire prevention exercise for residents of the block in January. 73-year-old, living alone, badly burnt in explosion due to possible gas leak
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