Fire Engulfs Vehicle Workshop at Defu Lane 12: No Injuries, but Chaos Sparks
On a seemingly ordinary Friday night, a blaze erupted at a vehicle workshop on Defu Lane 12, close to Bartley Road East. Luckily, no one got hurt—just a handful of haphazardly parked cars and a frantic crew.
What the Fire Departments Reported
The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) got the call around 6:40 pm. They quickly deployed three mighty water jets to stamp out the blaze and keep it from creeping into neighboring units.
- Fire site: 53 Defu Lane 12
- Area affected: Roughly a 10 × 10‑metre square.
- Firefighters time‑lined the extinguishing process to about an hour.
Inside the Scene: A Wild Paint and a Sudden Explosion
When The Straits Times burst through the front door, a grim tableau unfolded: black‑haunted trucks huddled outside a store labeled “Yong Sing Motor Works.”
Mr. Sim Seng Cheng, the workshop’s 61‑year‑old director, recounts in a hushed Mandarin interview: “Around 5 pm, a supervisor called sprinting‑style, screaming the place was on fire.” He added that one worker was mash‑painting a van when a nearby engine burst into flames. The motor, locked inside an iron grill, was out of reach.
In a scramble, some team members tried to blast the heat through the grill with fire extinguishers while others raced vehicles out of the workshop. Despite their valiant efforts, the fire didn’t yield.
During the Chaos
Firefighters battled the inferno, dousing the blackened trucks with a steady wash of water. Meanwhile, workers scrambled to evacuate—yet the flames seemed to prefer triumph over surrender.
- All forty workers were safely off the premises.
- Investigations are still ongoing to figure out exactly why—and how—the engine exploded.
So, while the workshop went from “Yong Sing Motor Works” to “Yong Sing Motor Works, Thank God, No One Got Hurt,” the incident serves as a stern reminder: even when you’re flipping paint cans, keep an eye on that ugly, bowl‑shaped engine—no one wants it to go boom!
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Explosion Rocks South Side of Hong San Temple – Crowd in Shock!
What happened? An unexpected burst of explosions rattled a quiet evening at the Hong San Temple. The blare came around 6:30 pm while a group of friends were glued to the World Cup match between Wales and Iran.
Who was there?
- A 68‑year‑old association member, whose identity was kept confidential.
- About nine other spectators, all soaking up the soccer action.
- Nearby workshop employees – four to five – who fled the blaze with their mouths open in a synchronized shout.
Sound and Sight
“It sounded like a truck full of fireworks went off in the street. We heard at least three or four more blasts that sent us all jumping,” the member recounted. The flames were so big that they felt taller than the three‑story building standing next to the temple.
First Responders on the Scene
Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) recruits swung into action, with a fire engine rushing in to tackle the inferno. The scene looked more impressive than a high‑rise – and the SCDF team was ready to do their job.
Yong Sing Workshop Response
Mr. Sim, the workshop owner, said they’re moving their operations to a nearby space at Block 8 Defu South Street. He offered a quick update: “We don’t yet know the details on compensation. The good news is no one got hurt – that’s what matters most.”
He added a reflective note about the fragility of life: “If someone had lost his life, I don’t know how to tell their loved ones.”
How the Community Follows Up
Residents can keep an eye on the latest updates from the SCDF on their social media pages, where they share real‑time information and support.
Note: This rewritten version is based on an article originally published in The Straits Times. Reproduction requires permission.
