Considerations for Review of Fire Code after Jurong West Market and Coffee Shop Fire
Ministry of Home AffairsSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns the Jurong West market fire’s cause and the potential review of Fire Code requirements for markets and coffee shops. Assoc Prof Daniel Goh Pei Siong inquired about the fire's rapid spread and if automatic sprinklers would have mitigated the extensive property damage. Minister for Home Affairs K Shanmugam clarified that the fire resulted from arson involving styrofoam and cardboard boxes at two separate stall locations. He explained that sprinklers are not mandatory for well-ventilated wet markets, as SCDF applies a risk-based approach focused on large, enclosed, or high-rise structures. Consequently, SCDF maintains there is no need for additional Fire Code requirements because the incident is considered a deliberate criminal act.
Transcript
14 Assoc Prof Daniel Goh Pei Siong asked the Minister for Home Affairs (a) what is the cause and origin of the Jurong West market and coffee shop fire; (b) how did the fire spread quickly and widely; (c) whether the presence of automatic sprinkler systems at the market and coffee shop would have slowed or stopped the fire from spreading; and (d) whether the risks of fire spreading and requirements to minimise the risks for markets and coffee shops should be reviewed for the Fire Code.
Mr K Shanmugam: The Police believe that the Jurong West market fire on 11 October 2016 was caused by arson. The Police have arrested a male Chinese. He has been charged. Investigations at the incident site revealed that fire was set to several styrofoam and cardboard boxes at two different stalls. As a result, the fire spread quickly from these two areas to the other parts of the market. The fire was set probably at about 2.30 am in the morning. The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) received multiple 995 calls about the fire at 2.42 am and arrived within six minutes. By 4.26 am, the fire was fully extinguished. The property damage was extensive and three residents who had breathing difficulties were conveyed to hospital.
SCDF adopts a risk-based approach in prescribing mandatory fire safety requirements for building premises. Automatic fire sprinklers have not been a requirement for all buildings. Such systems are useful in controlling fire spread in higher-risk premises, such as those with a large open floor area of more than 4,000 square metres, high-rise enclosed buildings of more than 24 metres in height, or enclosed basements. It has not been mandatory for wet markets like the Jurong West market, which are not enclosed and are designed to be well-ventilated.
The deliberate act here is more appropriately dealt with as a criminal act. SCDF's assessment is that there is no need for additional Fire Code requirements on all wet markets.