80 SCDF officers battling hotel fire

SINGAPORE: Eleven people —— four children, five adults and two fire—fighters —— were injured in a fire at East Village Hotel at Marine Parade Road on Monday.

The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said the injured have been sent to the Singapore General Hospital.

In its latest tweet, SCDF said about 80 officers have been battling the fire for four hours with six water jets.

Fifty civilians have been evacuated.

SCDF said the fire was contained within the premises of the hotel. It added that battling the fire was challenging due to very poor visibility as a result of thick smoke.

The blaze involves hard, rubber—like polystyrene boards in the basement of the premises.

SCDF said one of the fire—fighters suffered heat exhaustion, while the other sustained burns to his hands after he tripped and fell.

Channel NewsAsia understands the four children and two of the adults who sustained injuries are from the same family who came to Singapore from Pakistan for a holiday.

The mother, who suffers from asthma, is being treated for smoke inhalation.

SCDF earlier said it had received a call about the incident at 9.06am.

Viewers who called the Channel NewsAsia hotline said the hotel, located at 25 Marine Parade Road, was engulfed in thick, black smoke.

One motorist, Mr Tan, said visibility along East Coast Road was also affected by the smoke.

Far East Organization, which manages the East Village Hotel, said in a statement that the hotel was affected by fumes from a fire that started at about 8.30am.

All guests and staff have been accounted for and safely evacuated, said Mr Raphael Saw, the Chief Operating Officer of Far East Organization’s Hospitality Business Group.

The few guests and workers who were affected by smoke inhalation were receiving medical attention, while alternative arrangements were being arranged for affected guests at Changi Village Hotel, added Mr Saw.

Cherie Hearts @ Eastgate, a kindergarten and infant care centre at 46 East Coast Road, had asked parents to pick up their children from the centre as the air quality in the area was affected.

— CNA/al

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