{"id":57445,"date":"2026-06-02T16:57:03","date_gmt":"2026-06-02T08:57:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/?p=57445"},"modified":"2026-06-02T16:57:03","modified_gmt":"2026-06-02T08:57:03","slug":"hougang-fire-63k-raised-for-family","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/?p=57445","title":{"rendered":"Hougang fire: $63k raised for family"},"content":{"rendered":"


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Netizens have rallied behind a family whose HDB flat in Hougang was gutted by a fire after a resident appealed for help online to cover renovation costs, with more than $65,000 raised within a day.<\/p>\n

In response to Stomp\u2019s queries, SCDF said the fire broke out at Block 238 Hougang Avenue 1 at around 1.30am on May 19.<\/a> The blaze involved the contents of a bedroom in a 12th-floor unit, and two people were taken to Singapore General Hospital after the incident.<\/p>\n

One of the residents, who goes by @helloimbright on Instagram, shared in a June 1 post that an extension plug had caught fire after he left the house for supper.<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cMy entire room burned down, causing both my parents to end up in the burns ICU (they\u2019re both still in the hospital at the time of this posting),\u201d he wrote, adding that he felt there was \u201cno shame in asking for some help in a situation like this\u201d.<\/p>\n

Accompanying the post were photos showing charred remains of the room \u2014 its walls and furniture blackened with soot and windows shattered. An individual, presumably one of the resident\u2019s parents, who had been in the flat at the time of the fire, was seen hooked up to medical equipment in the hospital.<\/p>\n

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The resident explained that the family\u2019s fire insurance did not cover most of the damage.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe cost of the full restoration to the house + replacement of my gear etc that was lost in the fire is actually really high hence >>>> fundraising campaign,\u201d he wrote, adding that a fundraising campaign was linked in his bio and thanking the public for their support.<\/p>\n

\u2018Our savings will completely disappear\u2019: Resident<\/h2>\n

According to information posted on the Give.asia campaign page<\/a>, the resident\u2019s parents had collapsed in the flat during the fire, barely managing to call for help.<\/p>\n

\u201c(His father) managed to save his family\u2019s life by choking through the smoke and carbon monoxide poisoning to call SCDF. Bright\u2019s mother also lost consciousness in the toilet due to carbon monoxide poisoning,\u201d the post read.<\/p>\n

In a video attached to the post, the resident recalls leaving a battery to charge, which led to the fire.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy mum\u2019s brain function and stuff is very impaired because of all the smoke,\u201d he says. \u201cShe will forget things that I tell her within like maybe 30 seconds of me saying it.\u201d<\/p>\n

He adds that his father is still having difficulty breathing and remains on oxygen support.<\/p>\n

As for the burnt house, contractors apparently told him that the electrical wiring had been concealed beneath custom carpentry during renovations, meaning the unit had to be torn down for a full inspection, racking up unexpected costs.<\/p>\n

He adds that the sum \u2014 estimated to be about $200,000 \u2014 would have to be paid upfront, including replacing thousand-dollar camera equipment that he used for work.<\/p>\n

The resident says his mother was unemployed, while his 63-year-old father\u2019s retirement plans will likely be derailed as the family struggles to recuperate costs.<\/p>\n

He adds that both he and his sister would have to take indefinite leave to deal with the aftermath of the fire.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur savings will just completely disappear. So it\u2019s actually quite scary,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

According to the campaign page, the family is facing significant challenges, which include:<\/p>\n