Second Fire at Jem

Car catches fire at Jem’s carpark: Second fire-related incident to hit the shopping mall in four days.

By Han Hui Jing

EVACUATION: Jem Mall was closed for one and a half hours before it reopened at 4pm.
PHOTO: HAN HUI JING

Storeowners and shoppers evacuated from Jem after a car caught fire at 2.30pm today. There were no casualties, said a spokesperson from the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF).

The engine compartment of a silver Nissan Sunny, which was parked at the basement two carpark, ignited and tripped the smoke alarm.

All patrons and shop owners were alerted to the fire by an alarm and evacuation message broadcasted over the mall’s public address system. The SCDF arrived shortly after and put out the fire with the mall’s security personnel.

The reasons for the fire are still being investigated, said the SCDF.

This is the second fire over the last four days. On Wednesday, three people were injured when a deep fryer caught fire at NTUC Fairprice Xtra.

Some storeowners expressed concern that the warning messages were not clear enough to properly inform and direct the large crowds out of the building.

“There was an announcement telling us to evacuate over the system, but it could not be heard clearly,” said Ms Rubyanne Bermudez, 31, a senior retail executive at Chomel.

“There was no management personnel to tell us where to go and what happened. I think everyone here would at least like to know where the fire started,” she said.

Patrons and shop owners were left standing outside Jem Mall, around the entrance of Jurong East MRT, for about one and a half hours before the mall re-opened at around 4pm.

As of press time, the management could not be reached for a comment.