What to Do When a Fire Starts in Your HDB Flat in Singapore | Quick Actionable Ideas and Survival Tips

SINGAPORE — If your HDB flat is on fire and you cannot safely put out a very small fire, EVACUATE immediately, close the affected room and main door behind you if possible, and call SCDF on 995 from safety. Use exit staircases, not lifts. If smoke or flames block your escape, stay low, move to the room furthest from the fire, close its door, seal the gap underneath with a wet towel or rug if possible, call 995 and do not jump from a window.

The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) makes an important distinction between a fire in your own home, a fire on your floor or within two floors above it, and a fire on a distant floor. The correct decision is not always to evacuate every unit in the whole block. Follow the official guidance and real-time directions from firefighters.

12 immediate actions — HDB flat fire survival checklist

Raise the alarm and get people to safety. Tell everyone in the flat there is a fire; do not wait to see whether a growing fire will stop by itself.
Leave your burning flat promptly if the fire cannot be extinguished safely. Gather children and anyone who needs help, but do not delay for belongings.
Close doors as you leave if safe. Closing the affected room’s door and the main door can help contain fire and smoke.
Call SCDF on 995. Give the block number, street, unit, floor, postal code if known, and whether anyone remains inside.
Use exit staircases, never an ordinary lift. Lifts may be unavailable or unsafe during fire emergencies.
Stay low if smoke is present. Smoke and hot gases tend to rise; avoid standing upright in a smoky escape route.
If fire is on your floor or within two floors above it, evacuate immediately via a safe route, in accordance with SCDF’s 2026 Emergency Handbook.
If the fire is on a distant floor, remaining in your unit may be safer. SCDF generally advises staying inside with windows and doors closed on other floors, unless authorities direct otherwise or your unit is unsafe.
If your exit is blocked, retreat from the fire. Go to the room furthest away, shut the door and seal the gap below if possible.
Call 995 again if trapped or if your situation changes. Tell responders your exact location, the smoke conditions and who needs assistance.
Never jump from a window or climb along the façade. Signal your location and wait for trained rescue when escape is impossible.
Do not re-enter until firefighters permit it. Smouldering material, smoke and damaged electrical equipment remain hazardous after visible flames are gone.

If the fire is happening now, follow the appropriate steps and SCDF instructions. Do not spend time reading the rest of this article while anyone is at risk.

The most important distinction: which flat is burning?

Imagine hearing shouting on an HDB corridor and noticing smoke. A common reaction is to run to the lift, press the ground-floor button and get everyone out. SCDF’s guidance is more careful. Fire and smoke conditions change with the floor, distance from the incident, staircase safety and any instructions already issued by firefighters.

When the fire is inside your own unit, SCDF says to fight it only if you can do so without endangering yourself or others. If you cannot extinguish it, evacuate immediately. Where possible, shut the door of the affected room and the main door when leaving. Call 995.

When a fire occurs elsewhere, SCDF’s 2026 Civil Defence Emergency Handbook says people on the fire floor or within two floors above it should evacuate immediately. People on other floors are generally safer inside their own units with doors and windows closed, unless instructed otherwise by authorities. This helps avoid exposing people unnecessarily to smoky corridors and staircases.

That instruction is not permission to stay in a flat that has become unsafe. If your own unit fills with smoke, the corridor is engulfed or there is another immediate danger, tell SCDF exactly what is happening and follow their directions. A written floor-based rule cannot replace firefighters’ assessment at the scene.

The purpose is to choose an escape or protection strategy based on actual danger. A family on the seventh floor of a burning unit faces a different situation from someone on a distant floor whose flat remains protected and smoke-free.

Inside your own HDB flat: what should you do first?

If a pan, plug, appliance, cupboard or room begins burning, raise the alarm immediately. Where a tiny, contained fire can be put out using suitable equipment without danger, SCDF says a capable person may attempt to do so. The moment the fire grows, conditions are uncertain, the escape route is threatened or smoke becomes dangerous, leave. Do not continue a DIY firefighting attempt because you are worried about the furniture.

Tell household members to use the safe exit. Keep small children and anyone with mobility limitations together. Do not search every cupboard for a handbag or computer. If the fire is spreading, the next minute is more valuable as escape time than as time to rescue possessions.

If you can safely do so, close the affected room door on the way out. Closing the main entrance door behind you can slow fire and smoke spread into common areas. Do not lock yourself into a dangerous space to achieve this. Never reopen a burning room just to close a window or retrieve a key.

Once outside the unit and in a safe position, call 995 and identify the flat precisely. At an HDB block with several staircases, tell responders which stairwell or lift lobby is nearest. Do not assume that a telephone caller’s location is enough to pinpoint the correct apartment.

If the fire was discovered by another resident, make sure firefighters have been contacted rather than assuming every person who heard an alarm has already called.

Why the front door matters during a residential fire

A closed door is a simple barrier that may slow smoke and heat movement. When the affected room door and main entrance remain open, a fire may draw fresh air and release smoke toward the corridor. SCDF explicitly recommends closing doors if this can be done safely during evacuation.

This is not the same as asking residents to spend several minutes sealing every opening while their own flat burns. Closing the door during a normal exit is one action; repeatedly going back into smoke is another. The priority is human safety.

If a corridor is already full of smoke and opening your front door would expose people to danger, do not blindly rush out. Move back, contact 995, follow the fire-floor instructions and report that the normal exit route is unsafe.

A door that is closed and intact may help protect a room while rescue is arranged. Stay close to the floor where smoke is thinner, use a wet towel or rug to reduce leakage beneath the door where practical, and be ready to tell firefighters the exact room in which you have taken refuge.

Escape by stairs, not lifts

SCDF’s high-rise fire guidance states that residents should not use lifts during a fire emergency. A lift may home to the ground floor, be taken out of service or be manually controlled by firefighters. It can also stop where the landing is dangerous. Even a lift labelled as a fire lift is primarily intended for trained firefighting and firefighter-directed evacuation operations.

Use the building’s exit staircases when evacuation is required and the route is safe. Keep the stairwell clear and avoid pushing others. Children should remain with responsible adults. If visibility is poor, follow emergency exit signs and firefighters’ directions instead of guessing which floor has a clear corridor.

If you are already at a stairwell and smoke or flame makes it impassable, do not force your way through. Report the obstruction to SCDF and follow instructions about a safer alternative or refuge.

Never use a balcony, ledge or window as an improvised escape path. A fall from even a relatively low storey can cause fatal injuries. SCDF explicitly says do not jump out of the building when trapped.

What if you cannot get out of the burning flat?

SCDF’s 2026 handbook gives a specific response when escape is not possible. Stay low, move to the room furthest from the fire, close the door, and use a wet towel or rug to seal the gap beneath it where possible. Shout for help and call 995.

Explain to dispatch that you are trapped, rather than merely that you have noticed a fire. Give the precise unit and the room you are using, such as the master bedroom or back room. Tell them how many people are there, whether anyone is injured and whether smoke is entering. If you have a phone, keep it available for a callback.

Do not open the door repeatedly to see whether the corridor has cleared. It may introduce smoke and heat or make the shelter less protective. If the door becomes hot, fire spreads, smoke enters rapidly or anyone develops medical problems, communicate the change to SCDF immediately.

Keep children together and give short, calm instructions. A frightened person may try to run into a corridor or climb onto an open window ledge. Explain that firefighters have been called and that the correct task is to remain in the safest available protected room while following dispatch.

A wet towel does not make a room airtight and cannot guarantee survival. It is a temporary smoke-control measure. Professional rescue is critical when the normal escape route is blocked.

A fire in the neighbouring flat or common corridor

A common-corridor fire may be caused by combustible storage, an appliance, a charging device or another source. It can obstruct the way to the staircase. HDB corridors are not private storerooms: they are part of the emergency escape and access arrangement for residents and firefighters.

If the fire is on your floor, SCDF advises evacuation. However, do not enter a corridor that is visibly impassable with flame or dense smoke. Contact 995, explain that you cannot safely reach the exit and follow the instructions for protection and rescue.

If you are on another floor and your unit remains safe, SCDF generally advises remaining inside with doors and windows closed unless authorities direct otherwise. This is the point where a neighbour’s well-intentioned call for everyone to come downstairs may conflict with official advice. Listen to SCDF instead of following rumours in a block chat.

Do not gather at the lift lobby to photograph the fire or watch firefighting operations. Crowds can obstruct the space needed to connect hoses, move equipment and evacuate injured people.

Report combustible clutter or blocked access routes to the responsible town council and SCDF’s fire hazard reporting channels before an incident. Prevention is safer than trying to remove bulky items during a fire.

The two floors above a fire: why SCDF singles them out

In a high-rise building, smoke and hot gases can travel upwards through openings, corridors or building features, and the floors immediately above a fire may face particular exposure. SCDF’s 2026 handbook tells residents on the fire floor or within two floors above it to evacuate immediately.

For example, if the fire is on the ninth floor, the ninth, tenth and eleventh floors fall within this specific instruction. This example clarifies the wording; it does not mean nobody else may need to evacuate. Firefighters may direct people on additional floors to leave because of smoke, access conditions or other hazards.

This is also why a blanket instruction that “every HDB resident must always rush downstairs as soon as an alarm sounds” is incomplete. The distance from the fire and the official assessment matter. Residents should know their own floor and be ready to give it to 995.

If a parent is concerned about children at a neighbour’s unit above the fire, do not send a child into a stairwell alone. Contact emergency services and provide the relevant location. Households should plan who assists each vulnerable person when an evacuation is actually required.

Super high-rise buildings and refuge floors

SCDF uses the term super high-rise residential building for a residential building more than 40 storeys high. Such buildings may have designated refuge floors that serve as safer temporary holding areas. If you are evacuating and too far from the ground floor, SCDF says you can proceed by exit stairs to the nearest designated refuge floor.

A refuge floor is not simply a sky garden or any landing that looks spacious. SCDF describes special naturally ventilated, fire-resistant holding areas, generally provided at intervals of not more than 20 storeys. Follow the actual signage, such as Evacuee Holding Area or Fire Emergency Holding Area, and emergency crew instructions.

Do not use an ordinary passenger lift to reach a refuge floor. SCDF’s high-rise guidance says residents should use stairs, and firefighters may control designated fire lifts for specific operations.

Ordinary HDB blocks will not necessarily have the same refuge-floor layout as a super high-rise residential development. Do not invent a refuge-floor location; learn the arrangements for the actual building before an incident.

Cooking fires: why water can make things worse

A small cooking oil fire can become severe if someone pours water onto the burning pan. SCDF expressly warns never to use water on burning oil because it can spread the fire. Turning off the heat source and using a suitable fire blanket or extinguisher can be appropriate only when the fire is small, equipment is available and the person can act without danger.

Do not pick up a burning pan and carry it to the sink. Spilled hot oil can cause serious burns and spread flame. If you cannot contain the fire safely and immediately, close the kitchen door if possible, evacuate and call 995.

Never attempt to extinguish a growing fire with a wet towel by approaching into dense smoke. Fire blankets and extinguishers require training and are not a reason to remain in a burning unit.

After a small incident is extinguished, assess whether there is lingering smoke, damage to wiring or an unsafe cooker. A suspicious electrical or gas condition needs professional attention.

Electrical appliances, chargers and active mobility devices

Power extensions, charging equipment, faulty plugs and lithium-ion batteries can contribute to household fires. SCDF advises keeping charging activity away from exit paths and not leaving devices charging in common corridors.

A fire involving an active mobility device, such as an e-scooter or power-assisted bicycle, may escalate rapidly. SCDF’s 2026 handbook warns that battery fires can create intense heat and smoke and obstruct escape routes. Do not attempt to tackle an established battery fire on your own. Leave, close doors where safe and call 995.

Avoid charging such devices at the entrance to the flat, where a fire could block the only easy escape route. Use approved devices and chargers, comply with LTA and SCDF safety rules and stop using equipment showing swelling, unusual heat, smoke or damage.

Do not dispose of a smoking battery into a corridor or lift. Moving a burning object can injure you and spread fire. If there is an immediate fire risk, leave the area and inform firefighters of the type of equipment involved.

What about children, babies and older residents?

Children may react to smoke by hiding under beds or in cupboards. Teach them ahead of time that they must call for an adult and leave by the safe route when instructed. Practise a simple household meeting point away from the building and tell them not to return for a favourite toy.

For a baby or toddler, an adult should keep the child together with the household evacuation group. Do not send somebody back into smoke to collect a stroller if the child can be carried safely. If the door or stairwell is blocked, tell 995 the child’s age and where the family is sheltering.

Older adults may have difficulty using stairs or may be unable to walk without assistance. Plan for those needs beforehand and report them when calling emergency services. In a dangerous stairwell, a well-meaning attempt to carry somebody without training may cause a fall; ask firefighters for direction.

A person with limited hearing may not hear neighbours shouting or a home fire alarm. Use agreed household warning methods and appropriate alarm devices where available. People with mobility aids, medication or oxygen equipment should have a realistic emergency plan rather than a general instruction that assumes everyone can run.

If someone has inhaled smoke or suffers burns

Smoke inhalation can cause coughing, breathing difficulty, hoarse voice, dizziness, confusion or collapse. Get the person to cleaner air if this can be done safely, and tell SCDF on 995 about any breathing difficulty or altered responsiveness. Do not return to a smoke-filled room to retrieve medicine without emergency instructions.

For a burn, cool the affected skin with appropriate cool running water when safe and follow first-aid guidance. Do not apply butter, oils or improvised household substances. Serious burns, extensive injuries and breathing problems require urgent medical assessment.

If a person becomes unresponsive and is not breathing normally, follow 995 dispatcher instructions for CPR. Do not enter a burning or smoke-filled location to attempt unprotected rescue. The emergency call-taker needs to know where trapped or injured people were last seen.

Keep the patient warm enough after any appropriate burn cooling and do not force food or drinks into someone who is severely ill or unable to swallow safely.

The right information to give SCDF on 995

A useful call provides the block number, street, unit and floor. State whether the fire is in the kitchen, living room, bedroom, corridor or another flat if known. Describe smoke, flames, injury, the location of anyone trapped and the route that appears blocked.

A sample report might be: “Fire at Block 123, Street Name, unit 08-456. Flames appear to be in the kitchen. Three residents are outside; one person is still in the back bedroom. The corridor outside the main door is smoky.” This is an illustration of the information to give, not a claim about a real fire.

The person operating the 995 line may ask additional questions. Listen carefully and follow the directions. If the situation changes—another person becomes trapped or smoke reaches your shelter—tell dispatch immediately.

Do not delay the call until you have confirmed every detail. An approximate but honest description is more useful than guessing at a cause or trying to record a video first.

HDB corridor fire safety and the 1.2-metre clearance

SCDF’s 2026 handbook says common corridors must maintain at least 1.2 metres of unobstructed passage, measured from the parapet wall to the nearest stored item such as a movable rack. Staircases and landings must remain clear so residents and emergency crews can use them.

The guideline is about real escape and response space. During a fire, bulky objects, bicycles and storage boxes can slow a parent with children, block firefighters carrying equipment and make a smoky corridor more dangerous.

Do not obstruct wet or dry riser cabinets, hose reel compartments or other firefighting access. SCDF provides online reporting for fire hazards and a non-emergency fire-safety feedback route through myResponder and its hotline. A neighbour who raises a corridor obstruction concern is not automatically making a complaint for personal reasons; there is a genuine safety rationale.

Before a problem arises, discuss a clear escape route with the household and remove unnecessary combustible items from corridors. Do not attempt to drag a heavy cupboard out of the way during an active fire when people need to evacuate.

What to do after firefighters say the incident is controlled

Even after visible flames stop, smoke, water damage, electrical faults and unstable fixtures may remain. Do not re-enter until firefighters or the relevant authority say it is safe. A flat affected by firefighting water can have wet sockets or appliances that require professional inspection.

When access is permitted, photograph damage from a safe position and record the condition of appliances, doors and rooms. Contact the relevant insurer, landlord, managing agent or town council as appropriate. Do not assume an HDB-related insurance scheme automatically covers all household contents.

If the main door, window or corridor is damaged, ask for authorised repairs and keep clear of debris. Do not turn on affected gas or electrical equipment simply because normal power has returned.

A resident whose home is uninhabitable may need temporary accommodation, replacement medication or other assistance. Tell the relevant housing and social support contacts about vulnerable family members, and keep the fire report or incident reference when available.

Common situations and the safer decision

A pan of oil ignites in your HDB kitchen

If the fire is tiny and you are trained and equipped, a suitable fire blanket or extinguisher may be used without danger. Never pour water on oil. If you cannot stop the fire safely, close the affected door if possible, leave and call 995.

Smoke is pouring from your neighbour’s unit on the same floor

SCDF’s guidance is to evacuate the fire floor. Use the safe exit stairs, not the lift. If dense smoke blocks the corridor and your exit is unsafe, retreat into a protected area, close the door and call 995 with your location.

Firefighters are handling a fire three or more floors away

SCDF generally advises residents on other floors to remain inside their units with doors and windows closed unless instructed to evacuate. Do not move into a smoky staircase unnecessarily. Follow any updated instructions from firefighters for your building.

Your HDB unit is burning and the front entrance is blocked

Stay low, move away from the fire into the room furthest from it, close the door and use a wet towel or rug beneath the gap when possible. Call 995, identify the room and occupants and do not jump from the window.

An elderly relative cannot manage the exit staircase

Contact 995, tell dispatch the person’s floor, mobility needs and exact unit, and follow emergency instructions. Do not attempt a dangerous improvised carry down stairs filled with smoke.

Mistakes that make an HDB fire more dangerous

Do not use a lift to evacuate during a fire.
Do not pour water onto burning cooking oil.
Do not attempt to fight a growing fire beyond your abilities.
Do not leave burning-room or main doors open unnecessarily when evacuating safely.
Do not enter dense smoke without a safe route.
Do not assume every resident on every floor must always evacuate.
Do not ignore instructions for the fire floor and the two floors above it.
Do not jump from a window or climb along the building façade.
Do not return to collect phones, pets or documents once the route is dangerous.
Do not obstruct corridor clearance or firefighting cabinets with stored belongings.

Prepare a household fire plan before an emergency

Show every household member the safest primary and alternative exits from the flat.
Identify which staircases serve your floor and keep routes free of stored items.
Make sure working home fire alarm devices are installed where required and maintained.
Learn where suitable fire blankets and extinguishers are located and obtain training before relying on them.
Keep active mobility device charging away from the flat entrance and shared corridors.
Practise how to call 995 with the block number, street, unit and floor.
Agree on a safe outdoor meeting point if your household evacuates.
Plan assistance for babies, older adults and people with limited mobility or medical needs.
Teach children never to hide in a cupboard during a fire or return for a toy.
Locate official refuge floors only if your particular super high-rise building has them.
Keep the corridor, landing and staircases clear and report serious fire hazards.
Review the plan after moving or changing the layout of furniture and escape routes.

Frequently asked questions

What number should I call for an HDB fire in Singapore?

Call 995, the Singapore Civil Defence Force emergency number. State your exact block, street, unit and floor.

Must I evacuate if a fire is in another unit?

SCDF says people on the fire floor or within two floors above it should evacuate. On other floors it is generally safer to remain in the unit with windows and doors closed, unless authorities instruct otherwise or there is immediate danger.

Should I use the lift to get downstairs?

No. Use designated exit staircases if evacuation is required and the route is safe. Fire lifts are intended for firefighter-controlled operations.

What if the main door opens into heavy smoke?

Do not blindly enter an unsafe escape route. Retreat to a safer room, close the door, minimise smoke entry, call 995 and follow emergency instructions.

Can I use water to put out an oil pan fire?

No. SCDF warns that water can spread burning oil. A suitable fire blanket or extinguisher may help only when a very small fire can be tackled safely; otherwise leave and call 995.

What is a refuge floor?

A specially designed holding floor in some super high-rise residential buildings, identified by official signs. Follow SCDF instructions and use the stairs rather than ordinary lifts.

Can I jump from a low HDB floor if trapped?

No. SCDF explicitly says not to jump. Tell rescuers your location and follow protective steps while waiting for professional help.

The decision sequence worth remembering

Your flat burning: leave safely, close doors, call 995. Fire on your floor or up to two floors below: evacuate using safe stairs. Other floors: generally stay inside with doors and windows closed unless told otherwise. Escape blocked: stay low, retreat into a protected room, call 995 and never jump.

Before opening the door into a smoky corridor

When smoke is reported outside a flat, residents should not automatically open the main door and step into it without understanding whether the exit route remains safe. The SCDF approach distinguishes an occupant on the fire floor who should evacuate by a safe route from an occupant who cannot safely reach that route. If opening the door exposes people to intense smoke or heat, retreat to a safer protected room, close the door and tell 995 that the corridor is impassable. The operator needs the exact unit and whether anyone is trapped; do not simply report the block number and assume the rescuers will locate everybody.

This problem is especially important for elderly residents or families with several young children. One adult opening the door repeatedly while others wait near it can allow smoke to spread into the flat. Make a deliberate decision about the safest available exit and follow real-time SCDF instructions. A towel beneath a door may slow smoke entry while waiting for rescue, but it does not make the room airtight and should never be described as guaranteed protection.

After an HDB fire: helping neighbours safely

A resident on a safe floor may want to go downstairs to see whether an older neighbour has evacuated. However, moving through a smoky stairwell or entering a closed fire area can place that resident and firefighters in additional danger. Tell SCDF the neighbour’s block, unit, floor and known accessibility needs instead. If the neighbour has a functioning telephone, a short call or message from your present safe location may establish whether they need help. Do not instruct them to use a lift or move into smoke against emergency guidance.

Once the incident is controlled, practical assistance may include helping affected residents contact family, obtaining essential medicine through safe channels and identifying temporary accommodation or support. Avoid publicly circulating photographs of damaged flats, names or medical conditions without permission. If a corridor is littered with debris or firefighting equipment, leave the route clear until authorised workers have completed their tasks. The purpose of helping is to reduce risk and restore safe living arrangements, not to turn a fire response into a crowd gathering.

Official Singapore sources

Independent Singapore public-safety guide reviewed 6 November 2026. This is not live incident information. Follow SCDF firefighters and emergency dispatch if any instruction differs for the actual building.