A 12-STOREY block of rental flats in Bedok South has fire extinguishers on every floor, the first Housing Board block to be equipped for emergencies in this manner.
The initiative for Block 12, Bedok South Avenue 2, which has 308 units, was mooted by grassroots volunteers in the Bedok Community Emergency and Engagement Committee after a flat there caught fire on July 9 last year and affected 12 neighbouring units.
Close to 200 residents living in the one-room flats were evacuated, and six were conveyed to the hospital for smoke inhalation.
Manpower Minister Lim Swee Say, an MP for East Coast GRC, announced the pilot project at an Emergency Preparedness Day in his Bedok ward yesterday.
A total of 24 fire extinguishers, or two on every floor, were installed at lift landings in Block 12 this month, and 40 residents have been trained on how to use them.
Staff at an activity centre on the ground floor of the block have also been trained.
Having the equipment is just the first step of being prepared to deal with an emergency or a crisis, said Mr Lim.
“At the same time, within the block, there must be some residents who know how to take care of others,” he added.
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