SINGAPORE - A youth is assisting with police investigations following two fires in a Housing Board block in Bukit Panjang on July 15, with the area’s MP saying that there was another reported incident there in the past two months.

In response to queries, the police and the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said on July 17 that they were alerted to the incidents at Block 501 Jelapang Road at about 8.10pm on July 15.

The fire at the common corridor on the 10th floor of the block involved a Personal Mobility Aid, and SCDF extinguished the fire with water jet.

There was another fire at the common corridor on the fourth floor of the same block, involving a bicycle cover, and was put out by members of the public with a dry powder fire extinguisher.

Three persons were assessed for smoke inhalation and declined to be sent to the hospital.

SCDF said its preliminary findings indicate that the fires were deliberately set, while the police said a male youth has been identified for mischief by fire, with investigations ongoing.

Chinese-language newspaper Lianhe Zaobao said that the walls and ceiling at the common corridor on the 10th floor were blackened by smoke, and the area was filled with the smell of burning when it visited the area on July 16.

Holland-Bukit Timah GRC MP Edward Chia visited the affected residents on the night of July 16.

He said in a social media post later on the same day that there have been three reported fire incidents at Blk 501 in the past two months, with the fires on July 15 the two most recent incidents.

No injuries were reported, and he said the residents were concerned about the possibility of mischief or foul play.

“During the investigations, we uncovered additional unreported incidents,” he wrote. “The police are thoroughly investigating all the cases.”