MORE than $50,000 worth of cloth went up in smoke this morning
at a textiles shop on North Bridge Road. The cause of the fire is
being investigated by the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF).
Mr Abdul Rasheed, the shop tenant, believes that the fire could
have been started by workers who are doing patching and painting
works in the vacant unit above.
Having recently renewed his tenancy, he had already started
stocking up in anticipation of higher sales during the Hari Raya
period in September.
Although he did not insure his shop, Mr Rasheed hopes to get
some money fro the building's owner to help him cover some losses.
'I don't know what to do. I'm very sad. I hope I can recover
something in compensation. This is my life's earnings,' he
said.
It was a worker at his shop who noticed the black smoke and
sparks on the roof at the back of the shop. He then alerted Mr
Rasheed who was having a drink nearby.
When he rushed back, Mr Rasheed, shocked, called the SCDF
immediately. In the 30 minutes it took the SCDF to bring down the
fire, almost all his goods had been destroyed, save for five per
cent of them, he said.
-- ST