SCDF extinguishes fire aboard oil tanker anchored in eastern Singapore waters
A fire broke out aboard an oil tanker anchored in Singapore’s eastern waters on the morning of 20 June 2025. The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) mounted a large-scale marine response, extinguishing the blaze without injuries to crew members.
- Fire broke out in a storeroom aboard an oil tanker anchored in Singapore’s eastern waters on 20 June 2025.
- SCDF was alerted at 8:10am and deployed three marine rescue vessels and about 40 specialists.
- Firefighters conducted boundary cooling from rescue vessels and boarded the ship to extinguish the fire with a water jet.
- Blaze was contained to the storeroom; no injuries were reported and all crew were accounted for.
- Vessel’s name and ownership remain undisclosed; cause of fire is under investigation.
- No disruption to port operations or marine traffic was reported.
A fire on an oil tanker anchored in Singapore’s eastern waters triggered a swift deployment of firefighting resources on Friday morning, 20 June 2025. The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) confirmed that all crew were safe and no injuries were reported.
SCDF said it was alerted to the emergency at 8:10am and immediately dispatched three marine rescue vessels and around 40 marine firefighting specialists. Teams were drawn from both Brani Marine Fire Station and West Coast Marine Fire Station, which specialise in maritime emergencies.
On arrival, responders saw thick black smoke coming from a storeroom aboard the vessel. Using a water monitor from one of the rescue vessels, firefighters carried out boundary cooling—a standard marine firefighting technique that involves spraying water across a ship’s metal structure to lower surface temperatures and prevent flames from spreading.
At the same time, another team boarded the tanker to locate the fire directly. They managed to put out the blaze with a water jet, successfully containing the incident to the affected storeroom.
In an update posted to Facebook, SCDF confirmed that “all crew members were safe and accounted for,” and stressed that no injuries had been sustained.
The tanker was anchored in Singapore’s eastern waters, an area frequently used for maritime holding and logistics operations. Authorities have not disclosed the vessel’s name or ownership, and the cause of the fire remains under investigation.
Singapore’s Maritime and Port Authority has yet to issue an official statement, though no disruptions to marine traffic or port operations were reported as of press time.
The incident highlights the importance of marine firefighting readiness in one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes. Oil tankers and cargo vessels regularly transit and anchor off Singapore’s coast, making quick containment critical to avoiding environmental or operational fallout.
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