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Singapore Fire at Carlton Hotel amid blackouts in area
00:0802:05
A fire broke out in a switch room at Carlton Hotel in Bras Basah on Thursday afternoon (Feb 14), amid power outages in the area. Ahmad Khan with more.
By Gabrielle Andres
By Fann Sim @FannCNA
14 Feb 2019 02:44PM (Updated: 14 Feb 2019 10:43PM)
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SINGAPORE: A fire broke out in a switch room at Carlton Hotel in Bras Basah on Thursday afternoon (Feb 14), amid power outages in the area.
Witnesses reported hearing "explosions" from the hotel and seeing smoke emit from one of its back doors.
Energy provider SP Group said preliminary findings indicate that there was equipment failure at a substation serving Carlton Hotel. This in turn caused an electricity flashover which resulted in the fire.
The equipment failure also led to a power trip affecting electricity supply to parts of Bugis, City Hall, Marina Bay and Somerset. Power was restored within 12 minutes to all areas except Carlton Hotel.
The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said it responded to the fire at 1.15pm.
"The fire, which was contained within a switch room, was extinguished by SCDF using fire extinguishers," it said. About 1,000 people were evacuated from the building and there were no reported injuries.
Safety workers from SP Group gathered at the back of Carlton Hotel on Feb 14, 2019. (Photo: Jeremy Long)
A spokesman for Carlton Hotel said those evacuated from the building included hotel guests and visitors. The hotel also said that a back-up generator would be set up.
In a statement, the hotel added that the fire was contained within the substation on the ground floor.
"Fortunately, no one was injured and no part of the hotel is affected by the fire. We apologise for the inconvenience caused," the statement read.
"The cause of the fire is under investigation. Meanwhile, the team from Singapore Power is carrying out works to restore the hotel’s supply as soon as possible."
Electricity supply to Carlton Hotel was fully restored at 6.34pm, said SP Group in a Facebook update on Thursday night.
"We apologise for the inconvenience caused to the public, the hotel and its guests and we thank them for their understanding and patience," said SP Group.
The Energy Market Authority (EMA) said it is investigating the cause of the power supply disruption.
"Depending on the outcome of our investigations, we will decide on the appropriate action to take against any party found to be responsible for the disruption," said an EMA spokesperson in a statement.
Photos on social media showed a number of SCDF vehicles near the hotel and scores of people milling around.
The scene outside Carlton Hotel at Bras Basah on Feb 14, 2019. (Photo: Facebook/何少東)
Facebook user Ricardo Sentosa posted a video showing smoke and a blackened door at the hotel. He said a "small explosion" was heard around 1.20pm, followed by a second explosion shortly after.
Another eyewitness, accountant Emmanuel Lau, told Channel NewsAsia he saw smoke coming out of the back of the hotel.
Channel NewsAsia
✔ @ChannelNewsAsia
https://twitter.com/ChannelNewsAsia/status/1096028834783158272
WATCH: Smoke billowing out of the back of Carlton Hotel earlier today, as seen by a witness http://cna.asia/2E8SvCi
(Video: Emmanuel Lau)
6
8:50 PM - Feb 14, 2019
See Channel NewsAsia's other Tweets
Singapore Fire at Carlton Hotel amid blackouts in area
00:0802:05
A fire broke out in a switch room at Carlton Hotel in Bras Basah on Thursday afternoon (Feb 14), amid power outages in the area. Ahmad Khan with more.
By Gabrielle Andres
By Fann Sim @FannCNA
14 Feb 2019 02:44PM (Updated: 14 Feb 2019 10:43PM)
Share this content
100 shares
Bookmark
SINGAPORE: A fire broke out in a switch room at Carlton Hotel in Bras Basah on Thursday afternoon (Feb 14), amid power outages in the area.
Witnesses reported hearing "explosions" from the hotel and seeing smoke emit from one of its back doors.
Energy provider SP Group said preliminary findings indicate that there was equipment failure at a substation serving Carlton Hotel. This in turn caused an electricity flashover which resulted in the fire.
The equipment failure also led to a power trip affecting electricity supply to parts of Bugis, City Hall, Marina Bay and Somerset. Power was restored within 12 minutes to all areas except Carlton Hotel.
The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said it responded to the fire at 1.15pm.
"The fire, which was contained within a switch room, was extinguished by SCDF using fire extinguishers," it said. About 1,000 people were evacuated from the building and there were no reported injuries.
Safety workers from SP Group gathered at the back of Carlton Hotel on Feb 14, 2019. (Photo: Jeremy Long)
A spokesman for Carlton Hotel said those evacuated from the building included hotel guests and visitors. The hotel also said that a back-up generator would be set up.
In a statement, the hotel added that the fire was contained within the substation on the ground floor.
"Fortunately, no one was injured and no part of the hotel is affected by the fire. We apologise for the inconvenience caused," the statement read.
"The cause of the fire is under investigation. Meanwhile, the team from Singapore Power is carrying out works to restore the hotel’s supply as soon as possible."
Electricity supply to Carlton Hotel was fully restored at 6.34pm, said SP Group in a Facebook update on Thursday night.
"We apologise for the inconvenience caused to the public, the hotel and its guests and we thank them for their understanding and patience," said SP Group.
The Energy Market Authority (EMA) said it is investigating the cause of the power supply disruption.
"Depending on the outcome of our investigations, we will decide on the appropriate action to take against any party found to be responsible for the disruption," said an EMA spokesperson in a statement.
Photos on social media showed a number of SCDF vehicles near the hotel and scores of people milling around.
The scene outside Carlton Hotel at Bras Basah on Feb 14, 2019. (Photo: Facebook/何少東)
Facebook user Ricardo Sentosa posted a video showing smoke and a blackened door at the hotel. He said a "small explosion" was heard around 1.20pm, followed by a second explosion shortly after.
Another eyewitness, accountant Emmanuel Lau, told Channel NewsAsia he saw smoke coming out of the back of the hotel.
Channel NewsAsia
✔ @ChannelNewsAsia
https://twitter.com/ChannelNewsAsia/status/1096028834783158272
WATCH: Smoke billowing out of the back of Carlton Hotel earlier today, as seen by a witness http://cna.asia/2E8SvCi
(Video: Emmanuel Lau)
6
8:50 PM - Feb 14, 2019
See Channel NewsAsia's other Tweets
