X
TAP top app download banner
theAsianparent Singapore Logo
theAsianparent Singapore Logo
Product Guide
Sign in
  • Together Against RSV
  • Pregnancy
    • Due date calculator
    • I'm pregnant
    • Trying To Conceive
    • Labour
    • After birth
    • Baby loss
  • Parenting
    • Parent's Guide
    • Relationship & Sex
  • Child
    • Newborn
    • Baby
    • Toddler
    • Pre-Schooler
    • Kid
    • Pre-Teen & Teen
  • Feeding & Nutrition
    • Diseases-Injuries
    • Breastfeeding & Formula
    • Meal Planner
    • Health
    • Allergies & Conditions
    • Vaccinations
  • Education
    • Pre-School
    • Primary School
    • Secondary School
    • Primary School Directory
  • Lifestyle
    • Money
    • Travel & Leisure
    • Fashion
    • Home
    • Fitness
    • Contests & promotions
  • Events
  • Holiday Hub
  • Aptamil
    • Immunity
    • Intelligence
  • TAP Recommends
  • Shopping
  • Press Releases
  • Project Sidekicks
  • Community
  • Advertise With Us
  • Contact Us
  • VIP

5-Year-Old Boy With Special Needs Accidentally Sets Fire To Family's Rented Choa Chu Kang Home

26 Oct, 2021
5-Year-Old Boy With Special Needs Accidentally Sets Fire To Family's Rented Choa Chu Kang Home

Best to start teaching your kids never to play with matches or lighters.

While playing with a lighter in the storeroom, a five-year-old boy with special needs accidentally set fire to his family’s rented HDB flat.

The fire occurred on Wednesday (Oct 20) at about 2.45pm at Blk 470 Choa Chu Kang Ave 3.

A woman and her three children who were in the unit managed to escape when the fire broke out, Lianhe Wanbao reported.

It added that the family of five who lived in the flat were of Myanmarese nationality. The woman’s husband Aung, 50, is an engineer and a Singapore permanent resident who came here for work 15 years ago.

His wife, 43, is a full-time housewife taking care of their three kids — the boy and two girls who are in Primary 3 and 4.

When interviewed by the Chinese evening daily, Aung said he was not at home when the fire occurred, while his wife was busy doing housework.

5-Year-Old Boy With Special Needs Accidentally Sets Fire To Familys Rented Choa Chu Kang Home

Image source: iStock

He is uncertain how his son managed to get his hands on a lighter, adding that it all happened very quickly. The storeroom which caught fire contained old newspapers as well as diapers.

Thankfully, the couple’s nine-year-old daughter saw the fire when it ignited and ran to tell her mother. But when she turned back to look, the fire had already spread.

In a state of panic, Aung’s wife sought help from their neighbour who called the fire department. They reminded Aung’s wife to get her children out of the flat as quickly as possible.

The neighbour Bella, 53, said: “When the SCDF personnel arrived, they knocked on our doors and asked us to evacuate. Suddenly, we heard a loud explosion from the unit. We got a shock and quickly escaped from the other side of the corridor.”

According to the SCDF, around 60 residents were asked to evacuate their homes, with one person treated on site for a slight injury.

Residents were able to return to their homes after an hour. No one was conveyed to hospital and the cause of the fire is being investigated, said the SCDF.

do not play with matches

Image source: Lianhe Wanbao

Language disability

Aung’s wife told Wanbao that the couple’s five-year-old son has a language disability.

He would be sent to a special school whenever they are back in Myanmar, but with the ongoing pandemic, they’ve been unable to return.

She added: “I try to tell him what he can and cannot do, but he doesn’t understand, I can only teach him slowly.”

She explained that with her husband’s sole income, they are unable to afford fees for special schools in Singapore. Hence, their son has been spending his time at home.

Aung added his monthly salary is usually just enough for the family to get by. But now, he expects that he would have to pay compensation for the damages incurred in the fire.

Partner Stories
Comfort, Care, and Confidence for New Mums  with PEM Confinement Nannies
Comfort, Care, and Confidence for New Mums with PEM Confinement Nannies
Relax & Recover with PNSG Postnatal Massage
Relax & Recover with PNSG Postnatal Massage
Celebrity Dad Mark Lee Shares the 3 P's of Raising School Going Children - Parenting Tips, PSLE Preparation & Protecting Your Child’s Eyesight!
Celebrity Dad Mark Lee Shares the 3 P's of Raising School Going Children - Parenting Tips, PSLE Preparation & Protecting Your Child’s Eyesight!
NTUC First Campus (NFC) Expands Child Support Model to Include Support for Mental Well-being
NTUC First Campus (NFC) Expands Child Support Model to Include Support for Mental Well-being

This article was first published on AsiaOne and republished on theAsianparent with permission.

Lead image source from Lianhe Wanbao.

ALSO READ:

Singapore Man Shares Home Safety Tips After Dad’s Electrical Box Catches Fire

7 Fire Safety Tips That Can Save Your Life (Based on SCDF Recommendations)

5-Year-Old Boy With Special Needs Accidentally Sets Fire To Familys Rented Choa Chu Kang Home

Got a parenting concern? Read articles or ask away and get instant answers on our app. Download theAsianparent Community on iOS or Android now!

img
Written by

asiaone

  • Home
  • /
  • News
  • /
  • 5-Year-Old Boy With Special Needs Accidentally Sets Fire To Family's Rented Choa Chu Kang Home
Share:
  • What You Need To Know About Obstetric Fistula

    What You Need To Know About Obstetric Fistula

  • New COVID-19 Wave in Singapore: What Parents Need to Know About JN.1

    New COVID-19 Wave in Singapore: What Parents Need to Know About JN.1

  • Measles on the Rise: What Parents Should Know About the World’s Most Contagious Disease

    Measles on the Rise: What Parents Should Know About the World’s Most Contagious Disease

  • What You Need To Know About Obstetric Fistula

    What You Need To Know About Obstetric Fistula

  • New COVID-19 Wave in Singapore: What Parents Need to Know About JN.1

    New COVID-19 Wave in Singapore: What Parents Need to Know About JN.1

  • Measles on the Rise: What Parents Should Know About the World’s Most Contagious Disease

    Measles on the Rise: What Parents Should Know About the World’s Most Contagious Disease

Get advice on your pregnancy and growing baby. Sign up for our newsletter
  • Pregnancy
  • Family Occasions
  • Lifestyle
  • Normal Delivery
  • Ages & Stages
  • Trying To Conceive
  • News
  • TAP Community
  • Advertise With Us
  • Contact Us
  • Become a Contributor


  • Singapore flag Singapore
  • Thailand flag Thailand
  • Indonesia flag Indonesia
  • Philippines flag Philippines
  • Malaysia flag Malaysia
  • Vietnam flag Vietnam
© Copyright theAsianparent 2025. All rights reserved
About Us|Privacy Policy|Terms of Use |Sitemap HTML
  • Tools
  • Articles
  • Feed
  • Poll

We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience. Learn MoreOk, Got it

We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience. Learn MoreOk, Got it