Two members of the public are calling for stronger enforcement after they say an HDB staircase in Bukit Merah remains cluttered despite multiple reports to the authorities.<\/p>\n
Stomper Seagal <\/strong>came across the clutter while passing through Block 34 Jalan Bukit Ho Swee on July 6.<\/p>\n Concerned about the potential fire hazard, he reported the matter through the OneService app and by emailing the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF).<\/p>\n According to him, the reports were referred to Jalan Besar Town Council (JBTC), but only advisory notices were pasted in the affected area.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m a fire safety officer at my workplace,\u201d he said. \u201cIf there\u2019s a fire at the middle staircase, the only staircase to use for escape is totally cluttered.\u201d<\/p>\n Stomper Seagal expressed fire safety concerns.<\/p>\n PHOTO: STOMP<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n Stomper Anonymous<\/strong>, who also noticed the clutter when he was in the area, said he had similarly reported the matter through the OneService App and to SCDF.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve been working in facilities management for 20 years,\u201d he said. \u201cThese are fire hazards<\/a> which someone needs to bring to the attention of the authorities.\u201d<\/p>\n Anonymous added that some of the clutter allegedly blocked access to dry risers, which could delay firefighting efforts during an emergency.<\/p>\n \u201cI believe it has been there for donkey years, just by looking at the items placed there,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n He shared the matter with Stomp in hopes that greater public attention would encourage quicker action.<\/p>\n Anonymous said the issue was marked as \u201cresolved\u201d by the town council, though the clutter remained.<\/p>\n PHOTO: STOMP<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n Both Seagal and Anonymous shared photos showing potted plants, shelving, boxes and other household items occupying parts of the common staircase at the block.<\/p>\n In response to Stomp\u2019s queries, JBTC said it inspected the site on July 7 and issued an advisory notice requiring the resident involved to remove the items placed along the staircase.<\/p>\n A follow-up inspection on July 21 found that \u201csome improvement\u201d had been made.<\/p>\n JBTC said it subsequently issued another notice requiring the remaining items to be cleared, adding that the resident had acknowledged the notice and agreed to comply.<\/p>\n \u201cThe town council will continue to monitor the situation and take the necessary follow-up actions to ensure that common areas remain safe and unobstructed,\u201d it said.<\/p>\n PHOTO: STOMP<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n An SCDF spokesperson told Stomp on July 28 that it is aware of the reported obstructions and has been following up with the town council since July 7.<\/p>\n \u201cSCDF takes a serious view of fire safety non-compliance and has been conducting frequent enforcement checks, both proactively and in response to public feedback,\u201d the spokesperson added.<\/p>\n SCDF also conducted its own inspection on July 22 and issued a Fire Hazard Abatement Notice (FHAN)<\/a> to the town council.<\/p>\n Stomp understands that a FHAN is a written warning requiring the responsible party to remove a fire hazard within a specified period. If the hazard is not rectified, a Notice of Offence may be issued before enforcement action is taken.<\/p>\n SCDF encouraged members of the public to report fire hazards through its feedback form<\/a>, the myResponder app or the OneService app.<\/p>\n On July 28, Seagal said the clutter was still present despite assurances that follow-up action had been taken.<\/p>\n According to Seagal, the situation has not improved much since he first reported it.<\/p>\n PHOTOS: STOMP<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n Asked how he felt about the situation, Seagal told Stomp: \u201cVery sad.\u201d<\/p>\n Have something to say? Join in!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Explore more on these topics<\/p>\n<\/div>\n See something interesting? Contribute<\/a> your story to us.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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SCDF and town council issue notices to residents<\/h2>\n
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