Faulty dry rising main hindered Toa Payoh firefighting efforts, SCDF investigating

A faulty dry rising main at Block 229 Toa Payoh Lorong 8 disrupted firefighting operations during a blaze on 29 July, forcing firefighters to use manual methods to supply water to the upper floors.

The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) confirmed on 30 July that the defect prevented water from being pumped through the dry riser system to the higher levels of the 25-storey building.

As a result, firefighters had to lay hoses directly from a ground fire engine through the staircase to reach the 10th and 11th floors, where the fire was concentrated.

According to SCDF, the fire engulfed a unit on the 10th floor before spreading to another on the 11th. Seven people — including a firefighter and a child — were taken to hospital for treatment.

An SCDF spokesperson acknowledged that this manual method was more demanding but noted that such contingencies are part of standard emergency drills.

The dry rising main, a vertical pipe used to channel water from fire engines to upper floors during emergencies, remains empty under normal conditions and is only charged with water when activated.

SCDF said it is working closely with the Bishan-Toa Payoh Town Council to determine the cause of the malfunction and to ensure repairs are carried out swiftly.

The spokesperson stressed that the agency takes fire safety “very seriously” and will act firmly against lapses in maintenance of fire protection systems.

Residents told Lianhe Zaobao they observed firefighters encountering difficulties due to the defective riser. Some also raised safety concerns about evacuation routes, as the point block has only one staircase.

This is not the first time such an issue has occurred in the area. In August 2020, a wet riser failure at Block 138C Lorong 1A Toa Payoh similarly hampered efforts to control a fire on the 20th floor.