HIGHRISE COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS (Fire prevention and evacuation measures)

Mr Sia Khoon Seong asked the Minister for Home Affairs, in view of the large number of highrise commercial buildings in Singapore, what plans the Singapore Fire Service has to get the cooperation of the management of these buildings on fire prevention and evacuation measures.

Prof. Jayakumar (for the Minister for Home Affairs): Mr Speaker, Sir, the Singapore Fire Service's definition of highrise buildings is those buildings which are beyond the reach of the tallest fire service ladders and which require fires in such buildings to be fought from the inside, relying solely on the built-in fire fighting facilities.

There are at present about 160 highrise buildings used for commercial purposes.

In preparing itself to cope with the problems associated with highrise buildings, the Fire Service:

(1) carries out simulated fire exercises in a different highrise building every Monday morning. This is to enable operational officers in these buildings to familiarize themselves with the layout of the building, the built-in fire fighting facilities and its operational procedures in tackling highrise fires. So far, simulated exercises have been carried out at least once in every one of the 160 highrise buildings and twice in some cases.

(2) The Service has, since 1976, set up a High Rise Unit with the objective of carrying out twice-a-year inspections of all commercial highrise buildings in Singapore to ensure that managements maintain the fire fighting facilities in these buildings and take appropriate measures to ensure safety of occupants in the event of fire. Such inspections have been carried out in all the 160 buildings.

(3) It maintains regular contacts with the management of these buildings to offer advice and expertise. It also trains selected members of these managements on fire prevention, preparation of fire emergency plans, basic fire fighting and fire evacuation. The Fire Service assists managements in preparing operations books on emergency procedures and evacuation plans. Thus far, 18 such books have been prepared and 586 members of managements trained. 67 more operations books are being vetted by the Service and 75 more books are in the process of being prepared. In addition, evacuation drills have been carried out in 62 of the highrise buildings involving 36,856 participants. Trained personnel are then responsible for:-

(i) enforcing good housekeeping rules and fire safety precautions;

(ii) detecting and removing all fire hazards;

(iii) organizing regular fire drills in order to ensure that persons working in the buildings are familiar with all means of escape in case of fire; and -

(iv) organizing, training and supervising fire fighting and evacuation teams.

These measures help to strengthen cooperation and coordination between the Fire Service and managements of these buildings.

There are no simple solutions to fighting fires in highrise buildings. There is much in the building that could spark off and fuel a fire. In apartment, hotel or office premises, this fuel is found in the combustible furnishings, furniture and paper, and in restaurant or shop premises, this is found in the combustible decorations and in the articles displayed or goods stored. The best solution is to prevent fires from starting and, if this is not possible, to ensure that when a fire does stan, it is confined or quickly nipped in the bud.

As fires in highrise buildings can result in large numbers of people being maimed or killed (as in the recent case of Hotel New Japan in Tokyo), managements of highrise buildings must give their fullest cooperation to the Fire Service to ensure that their buildings are reasonably safe from fire and that regular evacuation exercises are conducted and participated by all their occupants. There should be no complacency in this matter as a fire can start anywhere and at any time.

Mr J.B. Jeyaretnam (Anson): Mr Speaker, Sir, the Hon. Minister of State has outlined the plans the Fire Service has and the fire precautions for highrise commercial buildings. Would the Hon. Minister state whether the Fire Service has any plans for the evacuation of HDB flat dwellers, and what precautions have been taken in these highrise apartments to prevent the spread of fire?

Prof. Jayakumar: The Fire Service has the concern also for fire prevention and remedial measures for HDB housing estates. I believe a separate question has been tabled concerning the question of fires in HDB flats. In the answer to this question, it will be made clear that the problems of HDB buildings are quite different from those of highrise commercial buildings. And since the question which I have been asked to answer deals with commercial highrise buildings, I should have thought that the question on the HDB flats, which is being fully answered in a separate question, is a subject to be dealt with separately.

Since the Member for Anson has raised this matter, it is suffice for me to say that commercial highrise buildings are a separate category because the occupants are generally not familiar with the layout of the building, the exits, the stairways, in cases of emergency.

Secondly, the nature of the materials which are stored in highrise buildings are very different from HDB premises. The variety of uses to which highrise commercial buildings are put to are different from those of HDB premises which are used for residential purposes. Highrise commercial buildings may be used for purposes of hotels, may be used for purposes of shopping complexes, may be used for purposes of offices, may be used for purposes of restaurants or places of entertainment such as cinemas. This is why it makes the question of fire fighting in highrise commercial buildings a completely different problem.

Thirdly, due to the variety of uses, the variety of materials stored and the variety of individuals who may be either inhabiting, renting or visiting these premises, the approach which fire fighters have to use for highrise commercial buildings is totally different from the approach to be taken for residential highrise buildings.

Mr Jeyaretnam: I am indebted to the Hon. Minister of State for his lengthy statement, but I am afraid he still has not answered my question. My question is, has the Fire Service any plans for HDB highrise apartments, particularly the evacuation of tenants in case of fire?

The Minister for National Development (Mr Teh Cheang Wan): Mr Speaker, Sir, since the question touches on HDB, may I say that there is a Question for Wrinen Answer on this subject, and I have already given my written answer to the hon. Member.

An hon. Member: He has not read it.

Mr Teh Cheang Wan: Yes, maybe he has not read it. The building material used for HDB flats cannot be burned, and therefore the question of the spread of fire in HDB flats does not arise. HDB flats are the safest buildings in Singapore. This is not based on rumour. It is based on the fact that HDB have been building flats for almost 22 years now and 70% of the population are living in HDB flats. If the hon. Member cares to check the records, he will find the number of fires that have occurred in HDB flats and the number of lives that have been lost in HDB flats, and I am sure he will come to the conclusion that HDB flats are the safest flats in Singapore. It is the safest building in Singapore.

I am going to extend my answer to say that the office of the hon. Member, which is in Colombo Court, was also built by the HDB. In comparing the offices in Colombo Coun with HDB flats, I think HDB flats are very much safer than Colombo Court. I can assure HDB residents that they do not have to worry. But if the hon. Member is worried about a fire outbreak, I suggest that he move out of Colombo Court.

Prof. Jayakumar: Sir, in addition to what has been said by the Minister for National Development concerning the safety features of the buildings and materials in HDB flats, let me state categorically that the Fire Service has a definite role to play and definite plans for evacuation have been formulated. In fact, it has been announced publicly before by the Minister for Home Affairs that these plans for evacuation form an integral part of the plans in Civil Defence. This was announced in a major speech recently.

Mr Jeyaretnam: Sir, I do not have the statistics for fires in HDB apartments but I do know that about two or three months ago there was a fire in my own constituency in Block 141. 1 would like to repeat the question: what plans does the Fire Service have for the prevention of fires in HDB apartments and for the evacuation of the tenants?

Prof. Jayakumar: Sir, I do not see the significance of the hon. Member for Anson's reference to the fact that there was a fire in a particular place, unless he is alleging in this House that the Fire Service was either incompetent or negligent in responding to that fire call.