SINGAPORE, Dec 9 — The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said today that visits to fire stations across the island, as well as to the Civil Defence Heritage Gallery and the Emergency Preparedness Centre, will be closed temporarily to the public. This is as a mark of respect to the full-time national serviceman (NSF) who died after a firefighting operation in Bukit Merah yesterday.

In response to TODAY’s queries, SCDF said that "as a mark of respect to our fallen comrade who was carrying out his mission of protecting and saving lives and property”, visits to those places will be temporarily closed.

This comes after the organisation posted on Facebook earlier in the day that it will not be hosting its weekly open house session at fire stations across Singapore tomorrow.

This also includes visits to the Civil Defence Heritage Gallery and the Emergency Preparedness Centre that are located at the Central Fire Station.

"Those who made prior bookings at the centre will be contacted for a change in schedule. We apologise for any inconvenience caused,” the SCDF said on its Facebook page.

"An update will be provided on the resumption of the above visitation programmes at a later notice.”

Yesterday, an NSF died after falling unconscious during a firefighting operation at Block 91 Henderson Road.

He was then carried out of the unit and given cardio-pulmonary resuscitation. The ambulance crew at the scene also used an automated external defibrillator — a device used in cases of cardiac arrest — on him.

The serviceman was then taken to Singapore General Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

SCDF yesterday also changed its profile picture and cover photo on Facebook to black and white images. — TODAY