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<\/p>\nSINGAPORE \u2013 About 80 people living in a Telok Blangah HDB block had to be evacuated after a fire broke out at a coffee shop on Nov 29, with two needing to be taken to the hospital. <\/p>\n
The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said in a Facebook post that it was alerted to the fire at Block 61 Telok Blangah Heights at 11.10am. <\/p>\n
When firefighters arrived, several stalls were on fire, with SCDF extinguishing the blaze using three water jets.<\/p>\n
Ten people were assessed for smoke inhalation. One of them was taken to Singapore General Hospital and another to KK Women\u2019s and Children\u2019s Hospital, SCDF said.<\/p>\n
The cause of the fire is under investigation.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
When The Straits Times arrived at the scene at about 12.30pm, the fire was already put out, but many residents were still outside the block waiting to return to their homes.<\/p>\n
Mr Andy Ng, 27, one of the residents, said he heard shouts before he even saw the smoke. It was only after he looked out of his kitchen window that he saw the blaze and feared it would spread quickly.<\/p>\n
He immediately left his fourth-storey flat with his grandmother, but his uncle had to stay behind in the unit with his grandfather, who has mobility issues.<\/p>\n
Another resident, who wanted to be known only by her initials, said \u201cvisibility was zero\u201d when she left her third-storey flat.<\/p>\n
Ms C.N., 30, said she grabbed her two cats and wore two surgical masks, with the air feeling very thick and hurting her eyes.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe important thing was to tell myself to stay calm, and (for) my cats and my family to get out first.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Ms C. N. with her cats Dang Dang and Mako. After the fire broke out, she grabbed her pets and left her Telok Blangah third-storey unit.<\/p>\n
ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY<\/p>\n
A video posted by a Facebook user at about 11.30am showed the coffee shop in flames as thick plumes of smoke rose upwards. <\/p>\n
Tanjong Pagar GRC MP Rachel Ong, who oversees the Telok Blangah ward, thanked SCDF and the community for their efforts in a Facebook post at about 2pm.<\/p>\n
She said that as at 1.45pm, many residents had returned home, and that those who had yet to do so because their flats are directly above the coffee shop were provided with lunch.<\/p>\n
\u201cTogether with SCDF, Tanjong Pagar Town Council and HDB, we are supporting the affected residents and will continue to assist them through the clean-up and any immediate needs,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n