16-5-2024 (SINGAPORE) In a devastating turn of events, a regular officer from the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) tragically lost his life early on Thursday (May 16) while combatting a fire that had broken out on a vessel anchored in the southwestern waters of the island nation.
The SCDF received a distress call at approximately 12:15 a.m., prompting firefighters from the West Coast Marine Fire Station to immediately board the ship and initiate firefighting operations. Upon arrival, they were confronted with plumes of smoke billowing from the vessel’s engine room.
According to an official statement released by the SCDF on Thursday afternoon, the fallen officer, who held the rank of rota commander, had paired up with another firefighter to tackle the blaze within the smoke-logged engine room. While his partner directed a water jet towards the fire’s source, the rota commander maneuvered through the confined space, employing a thermal imager to detect potential hot spots.
Rota commanders are seasoned SCDF officers who lead teams of firefighters during their shifts at fire stations, a role that demands exceptional leadership and bravery in the face of peril.
As the intense firefighting operation progressed, a second team of firefighters entered the engine room to provide reinforcement. It was during this critical moment that they made the harrowing discovery – the rota commander was found unconscious at the bottom of a staircase leading approximately 4 meters down to a lower platform within the engine room.
“He was conscious, but as he appeared unwell, evacuation was immediately initiated. The rota commander subsequently lost consciousness, and cardiopulmonary resuscitation was performed on him,” the SCDF statement detailed.
With utmost urgency, the gravely injured officer was evacuated to Pasir Panjang Ferry Terminal and rushed to the National University Hospital via an SCDF ambulance. Tragically, despite the valiant efforts of the medical personnel, the officer was pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospital at approximately 5:50 a.m.
In the wake of this profound loss, the SCDF expressed its profound sorrow, stating, “SCDF is deeply saddened by the death of our officer. We are providing the family with our fullest support.”
Investigations into the circumstances surrounding this tragic incident are currently underway, as the SCDF community mourns the ultimate sacrifice made by one of its bravest members in the line of duty.
This heartbreaking event comes just months after another devastating loss for the SCDF, when a 19-year-old full-time national serviceman, Sergeant 1 (SGT1) Edward H Go, succumbed to suffocation during a firefighting operation at a Henderson Road flat in December 2022. SGT1 Go’s untimely demise marked the first time in the force’s history that a firefighter had perished due to an SCDF operation.
