SINGAPORE: Firefighters tried to put out a vegetation fire near Lim Chu Kang Chinese Cemetery which broke out on Monday morning (Mar 4), and efforts continued through the night.

The fire was about the size of one football field in length, said the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF), adding that it involved piles of timber waste.





A fire near Lim Chu Kang Chinese Cemetery on Mar 4, 2019. (Photo: SCDF)

Eight emergency vehicles and 52 firefighters were deployed. (Photo: SCDF)

SCDF said it responded to the fire at about 7.05am.

It added that as the nearest fire hydrants are about 2km away from the site, 25 firefighters from the Special Rescue Unit had to manually lay hoses across that distance to maintain a constant water supply.



Portable pumps were also set up at intermediate points to boost the water pressure.



Portable pumps were also set up at intermediate points to boost water pressure for effective firefighting. (Photo: SCDF)

"Due to the slow-burning deep-seated fire and coupled with the abundance of nearby thick vegetations and windy condition, the prolonged firefighting operations are currently still ongoing," said the SCDF in a Facebook post at 8.23pm.

"It is expected to last through the night."



Firefighting operations are expected to last through the night. (Photo: SCDF)

A total of eight emergency vehicles and 52 firefighters were, said SCDF.

"An onsite rehabilitation area has been set up for the firefighters to take turns to temporarily recuperate throughout the prolonged firefighting operations," it added.

An onsite rehabilitation area has been set up for the firefighters to take turns to recuperate. (Photo: SCDF)

An onsite rehabilitation area has been set up for the firefighters to take turns to recuperate. (Photo: SCDF)

The cause of the fire is under investigation.