VACANT SHOPHOUSES NOS. 243 to 235 TANJONG PAGAR ROAD (Measures to minimize fire hazards)

Mr J.B. Jeyaretnam asked the Minister for Home Affairs whether the Singapore Fire Service is aware of the very serious fire hazard presented by the state and condition of the vacant shophouses Nos. 243 to 235 Tanjong Pagar Road and what has been done or is being done to prevent or minimize the risk of further fires thereby endangering the lives of the residents in the other shophouses in the same stretch of shophouses.

The Minister of State for Law and Home Affairs (Prof. S. Jayakumar): Mr Speaker, Sir, the Fire Service is aware of the fire hazards posed by vacant buildings awaiting demolition. It has advised the relevant agencies, such as URA and HDB, on measures to be taken to minimize the fire hazards. These measures include the locking or the boarding up of the vacant buildings to deter trespassers and mischief makers. Furthermore, power supplies to such premises are also cut to prevent short circuits which may cause fires.

There was a fire recently in the same row of shophouses referred to by the Member for Anson. The Fire Service did a splendid job in rescuing a family of four who were trapped in one of the burning shophouses. The fire started at No. 237 and spread to No. 235 Tanjong Pagar Road. Both premises were occupied at the time of the fire.

Mr J.B. Jeyaretnam (Anson): Mr Speaker, Sir, the Minister of State says that the Fire Service is aware of the danger and has advised the relevant agencies. But I have been to this site twice and I find that the premises have all been left open. There are a lot of dried wood, debris lying about, and the residents in the neighbouring-

Mr Speaker: Are you asking a supplementary question, Mr Jeyaretnam?

Mr Jeyaretnam: Yes, Sir.

Mr Speaker: Can I have it, please?

Mr Jeyaretnam: Has anything been done about these particular premises - clearing the debris, the dried wood and locking them up to make them safe?

Prof. Jayakumar: Mr Speaker, Sir, it is evident, from the wording of the Question posed by the Member for Anson, that he clearly was under the impression that those shophouses Nos. 243 to 235 were vacant. I have just demonstrated by fact that two of them were not vacant at the material time but that three were vacant.

The situation is that this row of shophouses is awaiting demolition. They can only be demolished when the residents have moved out. Some residents have moved out and the contractors who have been entrusted with demolition will begin to demolish those shophouses which are vacant, and when the others move out those too will be demolished. The Member for Anson can assist by encouraging or persuading the residents to move out of these, as he has pointed out, dangerous premises as soon as possible and thereby enable this condition to be eradicated.

Mr Jeyaretnam: Are we to understand, Mr Speaker, Sir, from the Minister of State that nothing has been done in these premises that are vacant, from Nos. 243 to 235, and that the dried wood has not been cleared away and that it will not be cleared away until all the other residents have moved out?

May I tell the Minister and the Government that the neighbouring residents live in mortal fear. They are unable to go to bed at night because they are worried that there might be a fire and they begin to wonder whether the intention of the Ministry is that they should be forced out of their homes by fire.

Prof. Jayakumar: Mr Speaker, Sir, he has asked a question as to what the Fire Service has done, and I have given an answer. As far as those houses which are vacant are concerned, appropriate action will be taken by the Fire Service and the other departments, including the locking up and boarding up of vacant premises.

With regard to those houses where the residents are still in those remises, like any other premises in Singapore, whether shophouses or not, the residents in those premises must ensure that they do not have debris and other flammable material lying within the premises.

Mr Jeyaretnam: I am talking about the debris in the vacant houses.