Thick plumes of smoke emanated from a shipping container at Pasir Panjang terminal, choking workers on board the vessel.
Fire broke out on the berthed ship yesterday evening, producing smog that engulfed the whole area. The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) was alerted at 6pm on Wednesday, dispatching two fire engines, two Red Rhinos, two fire bikes, two ambulances, nine support vehicles and a marine firefighting vessel to the scene.
The terminal’s in-house emergency response team were already on hand to handle the situation by the time the SCDF contingent arrived. The team had already boarded the docked vessel and reportedly used a water jet to disperse the smoke.
20 crew members and three dock workers on board the vessel were evacuated safely, while the SCDF conveyed three to the National University Hospital for treatment after they experienced discomfort in their nose and ears. SCDF vehicles stayed on at the terminal as a precautionary measure.
