SINGAPORE: The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) has unveiled lift-door stickers with fire safety messages as part of a campaign to generate greater public awareness on the dangers of discarding items at common areas such as corridors, lift lobbies, staircases and void decks.
One such sticker was unveiled by Senior Minister of State for Home Affairs and Foreign Affairs, Mr Masagos Zulkifli, at Blk 819, Tampines West Avenue 3 on Sunday.
The senior minister of state is also an MP for Tampines GRC.
Fires
involving discarded items at common areas in HDB estates account for
almost a quarter of the total number of residential fires in 2012.
SCDF
says such fires have the potential to be more serious in nature due to
the high fire load present and proximity to dwellings.
18 people were injured in 707 fires involving discarded items last year.
SCDF
says leaving discarded items at the common areas, especially
combustible items such as furniture and newspapers, can easily fuel
fires when lighted materials such as cigarette butts are
indiscriminately thrown onto them.
Cluttered common areas can
also seriously hamper fire-fighting efforts, fire evacuation and
conveyance of patients during a medical emergency.
- CNA/ir