SCDF officer dies after fighting fire on board marine vessel anchored in southwest Singapore

SINGAPORE: A Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) regular passed away early Thursday (16 May) following a fire-fighting effort on a ship anchored in the southwest of Singapore.

The SCDF said in a statement that it received notification of the fire around 12:15 am, prompting firefighters from its West Coast Marine Fire Station to board the vessel and commence firefighting operations.

Upon arrival, the firefighters encountered smoke emanating from the ship’s engine room.

According to SCDF, a regular officer serving as a Rota Commander, alongside another firefighter, was engaged in firefighting activities within the smoke-filled engine room.

Rotas, an abbreviation for rotations, refer to teams of SCDF officers who work in shifts at its fire stations, led by rota commanders.

While one firefighter directed a water jet towards the fire’s source, the Rota Commander utilized a thermal imager to identify additional hot spots.

Amidst the ongoing firefighting efforts, another team of firefighters entering the engine room to provide support made a distressing discovery.

They found the Rota Commander lying at the bottom of a staircase leading approximately 4 meters down to a lower platform within the engine room.

Although conscious at the time, the Rota Commander appeared unwell, prompting immediate evacuation.

Tragically, the officer lost consciousness thereafter, leading to the initiation of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) efforts.

The SCDF swiftly evacuated the injured officer to Pasir Panjang Ferry Terminal before transferring him to National University Hospital via an SCDF ambulance.

Despite the valiant efforts, the officer was pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospital around 5:50 am.

“SCDF is deeply saddened by the death of our officer. We are providing the family with our fullest support,” SCDF said.

Investigations into the incident are underway, and further updates will be provided as the details unfold.

The last reported SCDF fatality occurred on 8 December 2022, when a 19-year-old full-time national serviceman (NSF) died while battling a blaze at a Henderson Road flat. He was the first firefighter to have died during an operation.