Stepping Up Public Education Efforts in Light of Residential Unit Fires in 2025 and Review of Singapore’s Building, Fire and Construction Safety Codes

Mr Alex Yam asked the Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs in light of the recent tragic high-rise fire in Tai Po, Hong Kong (a) whether the Government will be reviewing Singapore’s building, fire and construction safety codes to ensure they remain robust for high-density developments; and (b) what further measures are being taken to strengthen compliance, inspection and enforcement so as to reassure residents and building users.

Mr Speaker, my response will also cover the question raised by Mr Lee Hong Chuang1, which is scheduled for a subsequent Sitting. And I invite Mr Lee to seek clarifications today, if need be. If his question has been addressed, it may not be necessary to proceed with his question subsequently.

In 2025, there were 1,051 residential building fires. This is up from 968 in 2024. This is a slight increase amidst a stable trend of residential building fires over the past five years.

The statistics should also be viewed in the context of Singapore’s housing stock. The percentage of fires vis-à-vis our total dwelling stock has actually decreased, from 0.067% in 2021 to 0.065% in 2025.

However, recent tragic events remind us that we cannot afford to be complacent about fire safety. The Wang Fuk Court fire in Hong Kong last November is a grim example. The Government has started reviewing the early observations from Hong Kong’s ongoing investigations and is studying whether we need to strengthen the relevant regulations for works during the construction and maintenance of residential buildings. This will allow us to better manage fire risks, and the outcome of this ongoing review will be announced in due course.

Allow me to share more about the multi-faceted approach we take towards fire safety in Singapore, namely, good fire safety design, enforcement against fire safety non-compliance, effective firefighting response and public preparedness.

All buildings in Singapore are designed and built in accordance with the prevailing Fire Code, which stipulates fire safety requirements, such as the compartmentalisation of residential units to limit fire spread, prior to Singapore Civil Defence Force’s (SCDF’s) arrival. Other fire safety provisions include adequate staircases to support swift evacuation, fire engine access roads and rising mains to support SCDF’s firefighting operations.

It is important for building owners to fully comply with the Fire Code and ensure that fire safety provisions are kept in good working order. In this regard, Town Councils and Management Corporation Strata Titles (MCSTs) are responsible for managing the common areas within Housing and Development Board (HDB) estates and the strata-titled residential developments respectively, including ensuring compliance with SCDF’s fire safety requirements.

They work closely with SCDF to regulate and rectify obstructions at common areas that may be fire hazards. And if fire hazards are detected during SCDF’s checks, SCDF will take enforcement action against the Town Council or MCST.

The SCDF constantly reviews its firefighting tactics and equipment, and the fire safety requirements for high-rise buildings. This includes exploring new technologies and studying international best practices.

To effectively conduct firefighting and rescue operations in high-rise settings, the SCDF has capabilities, such as aerial appliances, that can reach up to 90 metres, as well as surveillance drones.

High-rise buildings are required to have additional fire safety provisions, such as more fire lifts and rising mains, to ensure that SCDF can conduct operations on the upper floors effectively.

In addition, high-rise residential buildings that exceed 40 storeys in height require at least one refuge floor per 20 storeys. The refuge floor is designed to provide evacuees with quick access to a safe holding space in the event of a fire.

Last, SCDF conducts regular outreach through campaigns, such as the Community Resilience Days, to educate residents on fire prevention and fire safety, and provide free hands-on training on the use of fire extinguishers, cardiopulmonary resuscitation and the use of automated external defibrillators (AEDs).

SCDF also collaborates with other Government agencies and stakeholders to promote fire safety awareness, such as through the recent "Better Awareness, Safer Homes" programme jointly launched with the People's Association and National Fire and Emergency Preparedness Council, as well as the "Be-Device-Safe" programme with the Land Transport Authority.

Fire safety is a collective responsibility. We must work together, each doing our part, if we are to keep our homes safe from fires.

Mr Speaker, I thank the Minister of State for his answer. The lines of defence that Minister of State mentioned are, indeed assuring, including the good work by our SCDF. However, in spite of all the different measures, there were three serious fires that resulted in death in Singapore last year; one particular case in Toa Payoh, where the fire spread from the 10th floor to the 11th floor, where then some residents above had some difficulties evacuating. [Please refer to "Personal Explanation", Official Report, 14 January 2026, Vol 96, Issue 14, Personal Explanation section.]

In the context that the Minister of State mentioned where we are building higher, with higher density, including now, where we have an ageing society, where there are more elderly with mobility challenges. Fire prevention measures are good, but when it does happen, what may be the new measures that we can take pre-emptively to either educate, maybe even consider fire drills like in many other private buildings? Could we be doing some of these in the public housing estates so that residents get more hands-on education besides head knowledge? Maybe the neighbours can come together to rally in case of such emergencies. I hope that in the review, the Ministry can consider that.

Mr Speaker, I thank the Member for his question and comments. I fully agree with the Member's emphasis on public preparedness and public education. These are important and the SCDF works very, very closely with all the respective agencies, including with the constituencies and the grassroots leaders nationwide, actually, to help raise public awareness. It is important for the public to know what they can do and what they need to do to play their part. And as I mentioned earlier in my reply, a prepared and ready public is actually our best line of defence against fires.

Indeed, with regard to the cases that the Member mentioned, it is regretful and every fire, every death, is one too many, and we deeply regret that. And I think that is the reason why all the more we do need to step up. The SCDF spares no effort in making sure that not only is the SCDF best prepared to fight fires operationally, but in terms of working together with the public.

Let me amplify some of the community engagement efforts. Beyond what I mentioned earlier – Community Resilience Days, "Be-Device-Safe" campaigns, the "Better Awareness, Safer Homes" campaigns – we have various Responder Plus Programmes that the SCDF does across the country in the various constituencies, to work with and educate our residents in terms of how they can play their part in their homes, how to use fire extinguishers, AEDs, for example. And these are not just initial education programmes, but also refresher training courses to ensure that everyone can play their part.

It is also about raising the overall awareness and sensitivity to danger. It is that sense of awareness that is initially most important. So, the "Better Awareness, Safer Homes" campaign is the initial education effort to get people aware. Statistics show that the main primary cause of fires is actually unattended cooking. So, actually, it is about individual responsibility. And if you are able to get everyone aware that these can cause fires, I think that solves a part, a big part of the problem.

I will take the comments from the Member seriously. And if there are any further suggestions, we will be happy to work together with the constituencies.

Thank you, Mr Speaker. I thank the Minister of State for his answers earlier.

Could the Minister of State reassure the public the current inspection enforcement regime during construction and renovation works is assessed to be sufficiently robust, given that these time periods where the confluence of hot works, temporary wiring and flammable materials significantly heighten risk, as we saw in in the tragic example in Tai Po?

Building on the point that the hon Member, Mr Ng Chee Meng, mentioned earlier as well, in terms of community efforts, in my constituency, we organise regular block evacuation exercises so that residents are better prepared on evacuation routes and looking out for one another. What we saw from the Tai Po example, from interviews with survivors, as well as some of the experiences of those who were trapped, it is that many did not take the initial evacuation alert seriously enough and that may have contributed to the increased number of fatalities. With a growing number of vulnerable and elderly residents, is there more that the Ministry can do to heighten evacuation awareness, especially with the higher density and taller residential developments that we have today?

Mr Speaker, I thank the Member for his question. There are two parts to the question, so let me address the first one first, and this is with regard to precautions for construction.

Any construction and maintenance works done in Singapore must adhere to the safety requirements set out in the Fire Code, and the Workplace Safety and Health Regulations. For example, any hoarding used during construction must be made of non-combustible material and all fire safety systems must remain functional. It is also a requirement to ensure proper supervision that hot works are separated from flammable materials. The use of bamboo as scaffolding is not allowed in Singapore.

At the same time, SCDF also runs programmes and is willing to work with employers in terms of how to best educate their workers to be fire-safe. At the same time, SCDF regularly reviews the Fire Code to ensure that fire safety measures for buildings, including those undergoing construction maintenance, are robust and up-to-date with the best practices.

With regard to the Member's second question, what I mentioned earlier, in terms of the various programmes, are available. I think what is most important is that beyond just having those programmes in place, there is significant take-up which shows constituencies, residents and grassroots leaders take these programmes seriously and participate fully.

I am glad to share with the House that SCDF conducts about 16 Community Resilience Days every year, working closely with People's Association and with the support of various Government agencies. The Responder Plus Programme that I mentioned earlier is actually held both in-person and online, so as to ensure accessibility for all participants. And I am glad to share that from January 2024 to August 2025, we have had more than 60,000 individuals participating in the Responders Plus Programme.

Mr Speaker, I also want to thank the Minister of State for his answer just now. Here, I have three supplementary questions. I am going to ask two in English and one in Mandarin. I also want to declare that I am staying on a high floor. I am also one of them. Especially, since this question is targeted at those staying in HDB flats.

One, what is the current average response time for SCDF for such incidents, especially fire, on very high floor, and how does SCDF coordinate to reach this floor quickly, especially when the lift has broken down?

My second question: what are the practical operational limits faced by SCDF today when fighting fires at very high floors, such as water pressure constraint, access challenges or evacuation difficulties? And will SCDF work with the Ministry of Defence on this, such as Heli Safe, aerial rescue and any other measure?

My third question will be in Mandarin, please, Mr Speaker.

(In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] We know that in Government and commercial buildings, there are always fire safety exercises. In HDB estates, we have also conducted many public education activities in Community Centres or the first floor of condominiums. However, when it comes to evacuation, especially in high-rise buildings and for the elderly who have mobility issues, how do we educate them in terms of evacuating effectively? In my opinion, we should not only educate the elderly, but also their caregivers and other residents, to give them hands-on experience so that when a fire breaks out, they know how to respond and help their neighbours evacuate.

Mr Speaker, I thank the Member for his three questions. Let me take them one by one.

First, in terms of the response time for SCDF, the SCDF is able to respond to most fire and rescue incidents within eight minutes, and this includes fire incidents in high-rise buildings. Upon arrival, resources, assets will be deployed to fight fires at the earliest instance.

In accordance with the Fire Code, all high-rise structures above 24 metres, or about eight storeys, are required to have fire lifts which can be switched to manual operations to facilitate the SCDF's firefighting operations for prompt access to the higher floors, and additional fire lifts are required for high-rise residential buildings 40 storeys and above. And as part of the SCDF's high-rise firefighting procedures, the SCDF works very closely with the building management team, which includes having on-site incident management teams and the manning of the fire lifts to support the SCDF officers' operations.

In terms of the second question, practical operational limits faced by SCDF, indeed, I thank the Member for raising this because firefighting operations in high-rise buildings can be dynamic and challenging for SCDF officers. But that said, the SCDF has incorporated specific fire safety requirements into the Fire Code precisely to overcome some of these challenges and to enable them to fight fires more expediently and more safely. This includes ensuring water supply through the provision of the dry or wet rising mains, the provision of the fire lifts I just mentioned to affected floors, requirement of having fire-rated walls or doors to limit the spread to adjacent units – these are to help slow down the fire prior to SCDF's arrival.

And of course, in the event that these firefighting provisions are not in a serviceable condition, this is where SCDF will face some challenges in firefighting operations and these challenges may slow the firefighters down. But there will be other additional manual firefighting processes that the firefighters will then have to adopt to fight the fire. But this can take a little bit more time and requires other additional steps.

In terms of public education programmes to better prepare our residents, and especially with regard to our ageing population, I thank the Member for raising this because, indeed, our ageing population has brought about new challenges. We see an increasing number of households comprising seniors, especially some of them living independently. Our elderly may also have mobility challenges and in times of emergency, they could be vulnerable. We have strengthened our levers to support the elderly households in being better prepared for some of these fires.

First, Home Fire Alarm Devices (HFADs). We have encouraged HFADs to be installed in the homes of our seniors. This is subsidised under the Enhancement for Active Seniors Programme. Having these fire alarm devices will allow for our seniors to have earlier notice of fires and give them more time to evacuate safely.

We have also worked very closely with the community to better support seniors in need. For example, in the Jalan Besar Group Representation Constituency, I understand that there is a Fire Safety Kakis initiative that has been launched, where a network of neighbours is involved to assist with the evacuation of the elderly and the vulnerable in the event of a fire in their home and block. And I think this is a very good example of how the community can work very closely with the SCDF to especially reach out to those in need.