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SINGAPORE: A 66-year-old man who died after being rescued from a fire in his apartment had likely fallen asleep in bed while smoking, a forensic court said in findings about his death made available this week.
Ng Bock Swee, who lived alone in a one-bedroom apartment in Ang Mo Kio, died of severe smoke inhalation burns in February last year after embers from his lit cigarette ignited a fire in the living room.
In the findings, State Coroner Kamala Ponnampalam advised against smoking in bed, while the Singapore Civil Defense Force (SCDF) recommended that floor occupants should try to mitigate fires that have just started or they are small.
If they cannot do so, they should evacuate immediately or seek shelter in a room with the door closed if the former is not possible.
The court heard that Mr. Ng lived in an apartment in Block 123, Ang Mo Kio Avenue 6. A neighbor last heard him sing on the night of February 12, 2020.
A fire broke out in his apartment the next morning, and several members of the public called the SCDF around 8:10 a.m. M.
When firefighters arrived about four minutes later, they broke into the apartment after finding that the metal door was padlocked.
It was smoky, with hot coals in one corner of the living room. Mr. Ng lay near the door in badly burned shorts and was taken unconscious to Tan Tock Seng Hospital.
He suffered extensive third-degree burns to his face and body, and about 90 percent of his body surface was burned. Despite treatment, he died at 1:55 p.m. that same day.
An autopsy certified the cause of death as severe smoke inhalation burns, and no drugs that caused or contributed to his death were found, the findings said.
SCDF RESULTS
The SCDF investigation report found that a cigarette pack was near the burned mattress in the living room, with lighters on a table and inside a cabinet. An ashtray full of cigarette butts was on a table in the living room, while cigarette packs were placed in a closet. There were also open beer cans on the table by the ashtray.
There was no letter or suicide note in the apartment, according to the report, and Ng’s neighbor said the man had lived there for more than 20 years, describing him as a smoker and as someone who spent most of his time alone in home.
Ng’s younger brother told the court that he last saw Ng during Chinese New Year in 2019, and said his brother was a heavy smoker.
The SCDF report indicated that fire damage and burn patterns were consistent with a fire that started in the living room mattress. There were no signs of an electrical short and the remnants of a cigarette pack found near the mattress suggested that he had a tendency to smoke on or near the mattress.
A fire is likely due to the embers of cigarettes, the SCDF said in its investigative report. No alcohol was detected in Mr. Ng’s blood samples and it could not be determined whether it affected his ability to detect the fire and evacuate. The front door handle was found to be defective.
SCDF concluded in its report that Mr. Ng may have smoked on or near the mattress prior to the incident. When the lit cigarette came into contact with the fabric-covered mattress, it likely started smoldering embers that turned into flames.
The fire probably woke Mr. Ng up, but the smoky environment and the malfunctioning door handle prevented him from fleeing the floor.
The coroner ruled that Ng’s death was an unfortunate misfortune and said there was no basis to suspect a crime.
Mr. Ng had likely fallen asleep while smoking, causing the lit cigarette to ignite a mattress, the coroner said. She repeated the SCDF’s advice that apartment occupants should try to put out fires that have just started or are small.
If they cannot do so, they must evacuate immediately. If they cannot evacuate, they should seek shelter in a room and close the door to reduce the spread of smoke indoors.
“In this case, as it was a one-room apartment, one possibility was that Mr. Ng had barricaded himself inside the bathroom,” the coroner said. “If this had been adequate, it would depend on the amount of smoke that has accumulated inside the unit.”
“As with most home fires, the best course of action is, of course, to prevent it from starting. Do not smoke in bed as there is a real risk of falling asleep with a lit cigarette,” he added.
“Make sure to put out your cigarette completely, as smoky butts are often known to ignite soft furniture and floor coverings in the house.”
He conveyed his condolences to Mr. Ng’s family for his loss.
