<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR>Chute fires on the rise <!--10 min-->
</TR><!-- headline one : end --><TR>There are at least three to four such fires across the island every day </TR><!-- Author --><TR><TD class="padlrt8 georgia11 darkgrey bold" colSpan=2>By Teh Joo Lin & Kimberly Spykerman
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Residents suspect a cigarette was the cause of this rubbish chute fire in Ang Mo Kio Avenue 4 yesterday. -- ST PHOTO: SHAHRIYA YAHAYA
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<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"-->FLAMES engulfed a rubbish chute in Ang Mo Kio Avenue 4 yesterday morning, forcing a conservancy worker to douse the fire with a nearby hose.
By the time the blaze was put out, all that remained was the burnt-out hulk of the rubbish bin and a foul stench.
<TABLE width=200 align=left valign="top"><TBODY><TR><TD class=padr8><!-- Vodcast --><!-- Background Story -->RELATED LINKS
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SCDF REPORT CARD
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</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Investigations are ongoing, but residents suspect someone had mindlessly dropped a cigarette down the chute from a unit in the 15-storey block.
This scene, which is repeated three to four times a day, is the leading cause of fires at residential blocks.
In the first six months of this year, there were almost 1,100 blazes in rubbish chutes, garbage bins and common areas such as lift lobbies and void decks, according to figures released yesterday by the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF).
That was a 10 per cent rise over the same period last year.
SCDF operations director Anwar Abdullah said rubbish fires are 'pretty much confined', but the blazes can mushroom if chutes contain flammable materials.
They can create a lot of smoke and affect young children, seniors and those with respiratory problems.
The blazes also make life harder for the cleaners who have to sweep up the mess, like Mr Yusof Khirul.
The 27-year-old conservancy worker at Bishan Street 11 has done his fair share of fire-fighting. In the past six months, he has been called by residents to put out four rubbish fires.
The Hungry Ghost Festival and Hari Raya cause him the most concern, because residents often forget to extinguish joss sticks and sparklers.
'They don't even think carefully about their actions, they just throw,' he said.
Mr Lim Chin Huat, a conservancy worker in Bishan Street 13, found himself battling a blaze two weeks ago.
It was the 62-year-old's fifth rubbish chute fire this year, one he said was sparked by burning charcoal.
'It's terrible. We can't even find out who it was that threw the charcoal into the chute. A dustbin has also been destroyed for no reason,' he said.
Estates in Ang Mo Kio and Bishan have posted pamphlets at lift landings, advising residents to extinguish burning items before throwing them down rubbish chutes. But some ignore the advice, leaving their neighbours hopping mad.
'It's so inconsiderate,' said Mr Gabriel Ong, 39, who works in sales.
'This kind of behaviour affects the whole block and it's so dangerous especially if you live on the lower levels.'
While the SCDF said the fire starters are difficult to catch, it has been keeping track of housing blocks with repeated flare-ups. Civil defence volunteers visit problematic blocks, advising residents to avoid tossing burning garbage.
Dropped items such as cigarette butts, charcoal embers and candles caused over 60 per cent of the 2,545 fires reported in the first half of this year, according to the SCDF. That was one of several figures released yesterday.
While fires around residential premises rose, it was a different story inside the homes. Household fires - including electrical fires, gas fires and cooking blazes - dropped about 8 per cent to just under 470, the lowest in five years.
The SCDF's ambulance service saw a total of 59,000 calls, a 10 per cent rise over the first half last year.
Burgeoning demand prompted the SCDF to earlier announce plans for private ambulances to start responding to emergencies in the middle of next year.
SCDF chief medical officer Tan Eng Hoe said this timeline remains, though the tender has yet to be issued.
Meanwhile, the public can do its bit by refraining from calling in false alarms. These jumped by a third to about 2,050 calls in the first half of this year.
[email protected] [email protected]
</TR><!-- headline one : end --><TR>There are at least three to four such fires across the island every day </TR><!-- Author --><TR><TD class="padlrt8 georgia11 darkgrey bold" colSpan=2>By Teh Joo Lin & Kimberly Spykerman
</TD></TR><!-- show image if available --><TR vAlign=bottom><TD width=330>
</TD><TD width=10>
Residents suspect a cigarette was the cause of this rubbish chute fire in Ang Mo Kio Avenue 4 yesterday. -- ST PHOTO: SHAHRIYA YAHAYA
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"-->FLAMES engulfed a rubbish chute in Ang Mo Kio Avenue 4 yesterday morning, forcing a conservancy worker to douse the fire with a nearby hose.
By the time the blaze was put out, all that remained was the burnt-out hulk of the rubbish bin and a foul stench.
<TABLE width=200 align=left valign="top"><TBODY><TR><TD class=padr8><!-- Vodcast --><!-- Background Story -->RELATED LINKS
<!-- Audio --><!-- Video --><!-- PDF -->
<!-- Photo Gallery -->
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Investigations are ongoing, but residents suspect someone had mindlessly dropped a cigarette down the chute from a unit in the 15-storey block.
This scene, which is repeated three to four times a day, is the leading cause of fires at residential blocks.
In the first six months of this year, there were almost 1,100 blazes in rubbish chutes, garbage bins and common areas such as lift lobbies and void decks, according to figures released yesterday by the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF).
That was a 10 per cent rise over the same period last year.
SCDF operations director Anwar Abdullah said rubbish fires are 'pretty much confined', but the blazes can mushroom if chutes contain flammable materials.
They can create a lot of smoke and affect young children, seniors and those with respiratory problems.
The blazes also make life harder for the cleaners who have to sweep up the mess, like Mr Yusof Khirul.
The 27-year-old conservancy worker at Bishan Street 11 has done his fair share of fire-fighting. In the past six months, he has been called by residents to put out four rubbish fires.
The Hungry Ghost Festival and Hari Raya cause him the most concern, because residents often forget to extinguish joss sticks and sparklers.
'They don't even think carefully about their actions, they just throw,' he said.
Mr Lim Chin Huat, a conservancy worker in Bishan Street 13, found himself battling a blaze two weeks ago.
It was the 62-year-old's fifth rubbish chute fire this year, one he said was sparked by burning charcoal.
'It's terrible. We can't even find out who it was that threw the charcoal into the chute. A dustbin has also been destroyed for no reason,' he said.
Estates in Ang Mo Kio and Bishan have posted pamphlets at lift landings, advising residents to extinguish burning items before throwing them down rubbish chutes. But some ignore the advice, leaving their neighbours hopping mad.
'It's so inconsiderate,' said Mr Gabriel Ong, 39, who works in sales.
'This kind of behaviour affects the whole block and it's so dangerous especially if you live on the lower levels.'
While the SCDF said the fire starters are difficult to catch, it has been keeping track of housing blocks with repeated flare-ups. Civil defence volunteers visit problematic blocks, advising residents to avoid tossing burning garbage.
Dropped items such as cigarette butts, charcoal embers and candles caused over 60 per cent of the 2,545 fires reported in the first half of this year, according to the SCDF. That was one of several figures released yesterday.
While fires around residential premises rose, it was a different story inside the homes. Household fires - including electrical fires, gas fires and cooking blazes - dropped about 8 per cent to just under 470, the lowest in five years.
The SCDF's ambulance service saw a total of 59,000 calls, a 10 per cent rise over the first half last year.
Burgeoning demand prompted the SCDF to earlier announce plans for private ambulances to start responding to emergencies in the middle of next year.
SCDF chief medical officer Tan Eng Hoe said this timeline remains, though the tender has yet to be issued.
Meanwhile, the public can do its bit by refraining from calling in false alarms. These jumped by a third to about 2,050 calls in the first half of this year.
[email protected] [email protected]
