A little before 4pm on Thursday, 5 September, we detected the smell of burning plastic just outside the front door of our main office oon the 9th floor of Golden Mile Complex. A minute later, the fire alarm sounded and all our staff, plus an intern and one Bangladeshi worker who was in the office at the time, had to evacuate. A fire had broken out in an office unit about two floors below our unit.
Our building management conducts fire drills regularly and almost everyone in the building knew the safe way out.
Emergency responders arrived very soon after. We counted six fire trucks, seven police cars and at least two ambulances. The fire was put under control within about 30 minutes, but there was at least one man who had to be taken to hospital.
Fortunately, our office unit did not suffer any damage.
The first two fire trucks arrive and they quickly roll out their hoses.
Two firemen prepare to attach a hose to a hydrant. We’re surprised water doesn’t coming gushing out when they open it.
Firemen enter the building.
They set up an operations control centre in the lift lobby.
More fire trucks soon arrive.
Several police cars arrive too.
One man has to be taken to hospital.
Preparations are made on the ground floor to receive additional casualties but fortunately a search of the fire-affected area didn’t find any more.