Australian child dead in Singapore cooking school fire
A 10-year-old Australian girl has died in a Singapore hospital after she was caught in an out of control fire at a children’s cooking school along with 21 others.
A 10-year-old Australian girl has died in a fire at a cooking school in Singapore that injured 21 people, the majority of whom were children.
On Tuesday morning local time, a fire broke out above Tomato Cooking School in central Singapore, driving a class of children out onto the building’s ledge in an effort to escape the flame.
The 10-year-old girl, visiting Singapore during the Easter holiday break, was taken to hospital where she succumbed to her injuries, dying the same day.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade confirmed her citizenship and said it was organising consular assistance to her family.
“We send our deepest condolences to the family at this difficult time,” a spokesperson said. “Owing to our privacy obligations we are unable to provide further comment.”
Of the 22 people taken to hospital, 16 were children aged between 6 and 10.
According to the Singapore Civil Defence Force, the blaze began on the second storey of the building on River Valley Road, a residential floor above the cooking school.
In the wreckage it found unauthorised partitions, with an ongoing investigation suggesting the fire began in a storage area. According to the SCDF it was one of a number of fire safety breaches discovered.
Members of the public were praised for putting their safety at risk to help save children from the blaze.
“Upon arrival, the fire was raging on the second and third floors of a three-storey shophouse. Several persons were on a ledge outside the third-floor unit. Members of the public, including construction workers, used a metal scaffolding and a ladder to reach those stranded and brought a number of them to safety,” the SCDF said in a statement
“We would like to thank the members of the public who assisted in the rescue of the stranded persons for their quick actions and bravery.
“SCDF immediately deployed rescue ladders and a Combined Platform Ladder to rescue the rest of the stranded persons on the ledge. At the same time, firefighters proceeded to the second and third floor to fight the fire. The fire was extinguished with three water jets within 30 minutes.”
In Singapore, fire safety breaches carry a SG$200,000 fine (AU$242,400) or two years imprisonment.
“We are deeply saddened and shocked by the fire that occurred at the shophouse,” Tomato Cooking School said in a statement.
“Our thoughts are with all the families and individuals affected during this difficult time.
“The circumstances that led to the fire are currently under investigation by the relevant authorities.
“We are providing our full co-operation and assistance with the ongoing investigation.”
An impromptu memorial formed after mourners left flowers at the scene.
Local masthead The Straits Times spoke to one of the bystanders who intervened to save children caught in the fire, construction worker Shakil Mohammad.
“The fire was so hot. But (if I died), no problem, I just needed to save the children,” Mr Mohammad, 35, said.
“There were three more children inside, and I wanted to go inside to save them, but I couldn’t. The fire was too big.
“The children wanted to jump. I told them, ‘Don’t jump, I will help you’.”
A neighbouring shop owner Zainal Zin told The Straits Times he saw a “lifeless” girl being taken out of the shop by firefighters.
“I’ll never forget the look on their faces and I cannot get the scene out of my head,” Mr Zin, 56, said.
“One girl was lifeless as a firefighter carried her out. Her eyes were closed. Paramedics were rushing to do CPR on her.
“I couldn’t sleep last night, thinking about the children. I can’t imagine how their parents must feel.”
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