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A fire broke out at the Islander Preschool in Sentosa on Thursday (September 10) morning, forcing 71 children and 17 staff members to evacuate the facility.
All children and staff at the preschool, located at 35 Allanbrooke Road, were reportedly transferred to EtonHouse International School Sentosa, also owned by the EtonHouse International Education Group.
Fire breaks out at Islander preschool
Fire breaks out at Islander preschool
A fire breaks out in the Islander preschool: the incident took place around 11:30 am on Thursday 10 September 2020. | Image Source: Islander Pre-School website
The Singapore Civil Defense Force (SCDF) said they were alerted to the incident at 11:45 a.m., following the fire that allegedly took place around 11:30 a.m.
This comes after smoke was detected in the preschool’s administration room, the school said in a statement.
According to the SCDF, the fire involved the contents of a warehouse on the first floor that they managed to extinguish using two jets of water.
While the cause of the fire is still under investigation, according to a SCDF spokesperson, no one was injured in the incident. The nearby school was also unaffected by the fire.
As investigations continue, the school spokesman said the preschool will be closed on Friday.
“The safety of our children is the most important thing and we will get to the bottom of this to ensure we meet strict safety standards,” said a school spokesman.
How Parents Can Talk To Their Kids About Fire Safety
Schools generally involve having a larger group of children gathered in one place, which makes the occurrence of fires extremely dangerous.
Some, if not many, schools also have science labs that house flammable fluids that can endanger not only the lives of students and staff, but also damage personal and school property.
Children as young as five can learn what to do in a fire emergency, and parents can help children learn how to deal with the situation should it happen, whether at school or at home.
1. Talk about smoke detectors
The sound of alarms can scare children, especially if they happen unexpectedly. It is important to teach children about smoke detectors so that they know why they are installed and learn to associate their sound with a fire.
Image Source: iStock
2. Introduce the buddy system
In a school setting, having a buddy system could be helpful for children with special needs who may need extra help in handling the situation, applicable during practice drills or actual school fire emergencies. Parents can work with teachers or the school to communicate this need.
3. Teach children to check if doors are hot
Help children learn to check for hot doors and explore alternative ways to escape. Some fire safety tips for children may include:
- Have the children find a towel they can use to handle, touch, or grasp items to avoid burns.
- How children can use the towel to protect their face and cover their mouth
In the event that exits from a room are completely blocked, children are advised to stay as close to the floor as possible. They can lie on the floor and near the bed if possible, but not underneath.
4. What to do if your clothes catch fire?
Parents can help their children learn this important “stop, drop and roll” trick.
It involves stopping what they are doing immediately, dropping to the ground, and rolling to move to the nearby exit or safe location (if applicable). Parents can teach their children how to do it and get them to practice it.
Any fire-related injury can be avoided or minimized if the child remembers this advice instead of running around in a state of confusion and shock.
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