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SINGAPORE: One of the emergency vehicles deployed to the scene of a recent fire at Toa Payoh’s apartment on The Peak had “encountered difficulties” entering the property due to limited space at an entrance, the Civil Defense Force said. Singapore (SCDF) on Wednesday. (September 9).
Under the 2007 Fire Code that applied to The Peak’s construction plan when it was built, designated entry and exit points were established for emergency vehicles.
However, the fire code at the time did not require signage to indicate designated entry and exit points, SCDF said, adding that the vehicle, known as a Combined Platform Ladder (CPL), “inadvertently attempted to enter the property.” using the designated exit for emergency vehicles.
“The designated exit allowed for a sufficient turning radius for emergency vehicles to exit, but not to enter, due to other infrastructure limitations, such as a connecting roof and road dividing curbs,” the SCDF said in a press release. .
“Therefore, the CPL was unable to enter through the designated exit, as it did not have sufficient turning radius and clearance.”
The 60m or CPL60 Combination Platform Ladder (right) is the SCDF’s latest addition to its aerial operational capabilities. You can extend your ladder up to a maximum height of 60m, twice the height of the current SCDF CPL34 which has a 34m ladder (left). (Photo: Gaya Chandramohan)
Three people were taken to the hospital as a result of the fire that broke out in a 20th floor apartment in the early hours of August 29. About 300 residents were evacuated.
A total of 11 emergency vehicles were deployed. The other vehicles that used the designated entrance were able to reach the site without any problem, SCDF said Wednesday.
He noted that under the updated 2018 Fire Code, developments are now required to post signs to clearly mark designated entry and exit points for emergency vehicles, but those requirements do not apply retrospectively.
“However, to prevent a recurrence of these incidents, SCDF is working with the Housing and Development Board (HDB) to post signs at designated emergency vehicle entry and exit points at” The Peak “and other developments. of HDB that similarly designated points of entry and exit, but do not have such signs, “he said.
BUILDING WET PIPE DOES NOT WORK
SCDF said it was responding to media inquiries and online comments about the incident, explaining the use of hose reels instead of water jets to fight the fire.
During the August 29 operation, SCDF discovered that the block’s wet riser, to which the water jets are connected, was not working.
“As a general practice, both hose reels and water jets are deployed simultaneously in firefighting operations,” SCDF said Wednesday.
“In the case of the fire at The Peak, SCDF officers could quickly enter one of the affected units to rescue two trapped people with the use of hose reels. The fires in both HDB units were effectively extinguished using the hose reels “.
READ: About 300 Toa Payoh residents were evacuated after a fire broke out on the HDB floor, 3 taken to hospital
Hose reels are generally faster to operate but have a lower flow rate, making them better suited for smaller fires or incidents that require quick responses, SCDF explained.
Water jets, on the other hand, have a higher flow rate but take more time to set up.
SCDF said that a notice was issued to Bishan-Toa Payoh City Council on September 4 regarding the wet riser system, and that issue has been fixed.
“SCDF is still investigating the cause of the malfunction and will take further enforcement action against responsible parties when necessary,” he added.
