SINGAPORE - Seven people were given medical attention after a fire broke out at the 13th floor lift lobby of a Housing Board block in Chai Chee early on July 13.

In response to The Straits Times’ queries, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said firefighters from Paya Lebar and Changi fire stations were alerted to the blaze at 52 Chai Chee Street at about 8am.

The fire was “well-alight” upon the firefighters’ arrival and involved household items placed at the lift lobby, said SCDF. The fire was extinguished using one water jet.

Two units above the affected lift lobby had heat and soot damage, and 35 residents from the block were evacuated by the police and SCDF as a precautionary measure.

The seven people who were attended to declined to be taken to the hospital, said SCDF.

According to Chinese daily Lianhe Zaobao, the fire involved the burning of incense paper near some “miscellaneous” items. Lianhe Zaobao added that the fire affected power supply to the entire block.

In photos of the aftermath of the incident, a large amount of debris can be seen piled up in the lobby where the fire broke out, along with blackened pots, pans and charred wooden cabinets and chairs.

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The home owner of the affected unit, a 66-year-old man who declined to be named, told Lianhe Zaobao that he was inside when his wife was burning incense paper outside their flat.

“She usually burns paper downstairs, but today, she ran to the corridor to burn it for some reason. I wanted to stop her, but it was too late,” he reportedly said.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

SCDF advised the public to help maintain a safe living environment by keeping common corridors, lift lobbies and staircases free of clutter.

A cluttered corridor can increase the risk of fire spread, hinder evacuation efforts, and delay SCDF’s response during an emergency, it added.