15 people,
including infant, taken to hospital after yacht catches fire at
Sentosa Cove
SINGAPORE: Fifteen people were taken to hospital after a yacht
caught fire at the One degree 15 Marina in Sentosa Cove on Thursday
(Mar 22).
Three, including an infant, were taken to Singapore General
Hospital (SGH) for burn injuries. The other 12 were taken to SGH
and National University Hospital for smoke inhalation.
Channel NewsAsia understands that some people were onboard the
yacht when it caught fire.
The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said that it was alerted
to the fire at 4.30pm. The yacht was berthed at a fuel dock at the
marina.
Members of the in-house emergency response team tackled the burning
yacht using three hosereels, said SCDF. Two waterjets were used to
extinguish the fire after they arrived.
It is understood that some members of the in-house emergency
response team were part of the 12 taken to hospital for smoke
inhalation.
William Ng, a 32-year-old chef from nearby restaurant Quayside
Isle, told Channel NewsAsia he was starting work when someone in
the restaurant shouted about the fire at about 4pm.
"I turned around and saw quite a huge smoke and a fire ... it all
happened for like 15 to 20 minutes," said Mr Ng, who also took a
video and posted it on Facebook.
In his video, thick black smoke can be seen billowing into the sky
from the marina. Mr Ng added that SCDF officers arrived on scene
within five to 10 minutes.
Another video of the incident that was circulated on Telegram
showed a boat on fire. A person can be seen running away from the
boat in the background.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Source: CNA/ng