SINGAPORE: The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said that improper disposal of lighted materials accounted for 65 per cent of all fires last year.
There were more than 5,200 fire incidents last year, up from the close to 5,000 cases in 2008.
SCDF said the increase is partly due to an increase in vegetation fires during the January to March dry season.
Of the total fires, close to 70 per cent occurred in residential
premises – out of which more than 40 per cent stemmed from rubbish
fires.
While the number of rubbish fires remains high, it has gone down by about 8 per cent from 2008.
Similarly, fires involving household items like furniture and clothing, as well as unattended cooking fires, have also dropped.
However, SCDF said fires involving discarded items at common areas
like corridors and void decks have risen by about 40 per cent, to 644
cases in 2009.
SCDF said fires like these can be easily prevented if residents do
not leave unwanted household items outside their homes or at common
areas. It added that residents should make arrangements with the Town
Councils to remove any bulky items.
Statistics show that the number of fire outbreaks at industrial premises fell by 11 per cent to 140 cases in 2009.
There were no fatalities due to fire last year, although the number
of people injured went up slightly by four cases from 2008.
Moreover, building owners were issued 60 more fire hazard abatement
notices last year. SCDF said the number has gone up to about 3,300.
They were mainly issued for poor maintenance of hose reels and fire
extinguishers.
SCDF said the number of fire safety offences also went up by 65 per
cent to 1,660. The increase was mainly due to unauthorised change of
use, for example, the conversion of car park areas for storage and
processing of goods.
SCDF added that the increase can also be attributed to heightened
checks as well as the rise in number of public feedback. Last year,
SCDF conducted more than 13,200 enforcement checks.
With Lunar New Year approaching, SCDF said it will step up on checks at shopping centers and public entertainment outlets.
- CNA/sc