SINGAPORE: Firefighting operations are underway after a blaze broke out at a two-storey industrial building in Tampines on Friday (May 9), sending dark plumes of smoke and ash into the sky.
The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said it was alerted to the incident at 18 Tampines Street 92 at 12.50pm, adding that it is fighting the blaze with five water jets.
A photo on SCDF's Facebook page showed smoke
Other videos and photos show thick black smoke rising from the location, which is near SAFRA Tampines and not far from Tampines Mall.
Smoke from the industrial building fire as seen from the Tampines SAFRA are on May 9, 2025. (Photo: CNA/Calvin Oh)
A TC Homeplus director, who only wanted to be known as Mr Yap, said staff members called to notify him of the fire at about 12.30pm.
There were about 45 workers in the building and the fire had already spread to the second floor, Mr Yap said, adding that the cause of the fire or which room it started in had yet to be determined.
Mr Yap, who was not at the scene, immediately told his staff to evacuate. The company's human resource department team also checked that all workers had safely left the premises.
Workers initially tried to put out the blaze with fire extinguishers while others called for help.
However, they eventually evacuated when they realised it was too big to handle "and left it to the professionals", Mr Yap told CNA.
View of the fire in Tampines. (Image: CNA reader)
A CNA reader who did not want to be named said he and his colleagues, who work opposite the burning building, were alerted to the fire after a meeting.
They were told to evacuate their office building at about 1.20pm, he added.
Videos taken by CNA reader Mr Umar Adam from Tampines Street 91 at 1.30pm showed firefighters in action.
The window frames of the building appeared to have melted, while the exterior of the building was covered in soot.
Firefighters at the scene after a blaze broke out at Tampines Street 92 on May 9, 2025. (Photo: CNA/Lim Li Ting)
Fire engines and a police car seen near the industrial building blaze at Tampines Street 92 on May 9, 2025. (Photo: CNA/Lim Li Ting)
A fire at Tampines Street 92 on May 9, 2025. (Photo: CNA/Lim Li Ting)
Onlookers behind a police cordon after a fire broke out at Tampines Street 92 on May 9, 2025. (Photo: CNA/Lim Li Ting)
Smoke from a fire at 18 Tampines Street 92 as seen from Simei Street 1. (Photo: Caroline Bone)
Another CNA reader said she saw three fire engines and two ambulances rushing to the scene, and that the fire was still raging as of about 1.30pm.
"Plenty of ash coming into the flats here because of wind direction," said Ms Caroline Bone, who saw the smoke from her flat at Simei Street 1.
Smoke could also be seen from Changi General Hospital along Simei Street 3 and Temasek Polytechnic at Tampines Avenue 1.
When CNA arrived at the scene at 1.55pm, vehicles were being diverted away from the road leading to TC Homeplus.
There was a police cordon on one side of the road, with more than 30 onlookers standing behind i,t taking videos and chatting among themselves.
There was also a second police cordon on the left side of the building.
Children and staff from Middleton International School across from TC Homeplus were evacuated and seen gathering at the school's field.
A mother who has a child in Middleton International School told CNA that the its principal had messaged parents and caregivers, telling them not to panic and that the kids are safe.
Some parents had asked to pick their children up earlier, but the school denied that request, adding that their pick-up time would be from 3.30pm to 3.45pm as usual, the mother said.
At about 2.35pm, a young man was seen sitting on a stretcher chair and surrounded by five SCDF officers. He was smiling, laughing and speaking to the paramedics as they assessed him.
Mr Toh, an employee of Evorich, which occupies the building next to TC Homeplus, said he had just returned from lunch with his colleagues at about 12.40pm when they saw the fire.
They immediately moved their cars out of the building and could see staff from TC Homeplus leaving from its main entrance.
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The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said it was alerted to the incident at 18 Tampines Street 92 at 12.50pm, adding that it is fighting the blaze with five water jets.
A photo on SCDF's Facebook page showed smoke
Other videos and photos show thick black smoke rising from the location, which is near SAFRA Tampines and not far from Tampines Mall.
Smoke from the industrial building fire as seen from the Tampines SAFRA are on May 9, 2025. (Photo: CNA/Calvin Oh)
A TC Homeplus director, who only wanted to be known as Mr Yap, said staff members called to notify him of the fire at about 12.30pm.
There were about 45 workers in the building and the fire had already spread to the second floor, Mr Yap said, adding that the cause of the fire or which room it started in had yet to be determined.
Mr Yap, who was not at the scene, immediately told his staff to evacuate. The company's human resource department team also checked that all workers had safely left the premises.
Workers initially tried to put out the blaze with fire extinguishers while others called for help.
However, they eventually evacuated when they realised it was too big to handle "and left it to the professionals", Mr Yap told CNA.
View of the fire in Tampines. (Image: CNA reader)
ASH, SOOT
A CNA reader who did not want to be named said he and his colleagues, who work opposite the burning building, were alerted to the fire after a meeting.
They were told to evacuate their office building at about 1.20pm, he added.
Videos taken by CNA reader Mr Umar Adam from Tampines Street 91 at 1.30pm showed firefighters in action.
The window frames of the building appeared to have melted, while the exterior of the building was covered in soot.
Firefighters at the scene after a blaze broke out at Tampines Street 92 on May 9, 2025. (Photo: CNA/Lim Li Ting)
Fire engines and a police car seen near the industrial building blaze at Tampines Street 92 on May 9, 2025. (Photo: CNA/Lim Li Ting)
A fire at Tampines Street 92 on May 9, 2025. (Photo: CNA/Lim Li Ting)
Onlookers behind a police cordon after a fire broke out at Tampines Street 92 on May 9, 2025. (Photo: CNA/Lim Li Ting)
Smoke from a fire at 18 Tampines Street 92 as seen from Simei Street 1. (Photo: Caroline Bone)
Another CNA reader said she saw three fire engines and two ambulances rushing to the scene, and that the fire was still raging as of about 1.30pm.
"Plenty of ash coming into the flats here because of wind direction," said Ms Caroline Bone, who saw the smoke from her flat at Simei Street 1.
Smoke could also be seen from Changi General Hospital along Simei Street 3 and Temasek Polytechnic at Tampines Avenue 1.
When CNA arrived at the scene at 1.55pm, vehicles were being diverted away from the road leading to TC Homeplus.
There was a police cordon on one side of the road, with more than 30 onlookers standing behind i,t taking videos and chatting among themselves.
There was also a second police cordon on the left side of the building.
Children and staff from Middleton International School across from TC Homeplus were evacuated and seen gathering at the school's field.
A mother who has a child in Middleton International School told CNA that the its principal had messaged parents and caregivers, telling them not to panic and that the kids are safe.
Some parents had asked to pick their children up earlier, but the school denied that request, adding that their pick-up time would be from 3.30pm to 3.45pm as usual, the mother said.
At about 2.35pm, a young man was seen sitting on a stretcher chair and surrounded by five SCDF officers. He was smiling, laughing and speaking to the paramedics as they assessed him.
Mr Toh, an employee of Evorich, which occupies the building next to TC Homeplus, said he had just returned from lunch with his colleagues at about 12.40pm when they saw the fire.
They immediately moved their cars out of the building and could see staff from TC Homeplus leaving from its main entrance.
If you would like to send in information, photos or videos about something newsworthy, submit your news tips on CNA Eyewitness or on WhatsApp.
Continue reading...