address:
Lucky Plaza Apartment, Orchard Road

What happened :
A fire broke out in a unit at the Lucky Plaza Apartment, Orchard Road where earlier, a young boy had tried to dry his paintbrush by holding a lighted piece of paper against it. The heat from the flame caused him to release the paper and set the bedroom on fire.

The fire spreaded and engulfed the entire unit, severely damaging its fittings, walls and contents. Units located directly above and below the apartment on fire sustained heat damages as well.

Neighbours had to be evacuated, due to the thick smoke and possibility of fire spreading to other units in the plaza.

Damage to property:
The total damage to property was estimated at $70,000

Time period to resume normal life :
It will take approximately nine months to a year before the family can resume a normal life.

social costs :
Due to the magnitude of damage caused by the fire, the family concerned had to relocate as the unit was totally wrecked. Repairs and a full refurbishment had to be made.

The fire also placed some nearby units and their residents at risk of loss of lives and property. In fact, some affected neighbours also had to engage in repair work and this disrupted their lives.