SINGAPORE, Jan 11 — Three lives were lost in a fire that engulfed a five-room flat in Hougang on January 9 that belonged to a married couple and their teenage daughter, marking the second deadly blaze in Singapore in more than two years.

Only one victim, a man, has been identified, The Straits Times reported last night, naming Lee Choon Geak, aged 62.

According to the Singapore daily, the fire broke out at around 12.40pm on the third floor of Block 971, Hougang Street 91, and the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) arrived within eight minutes.

Firefighters had difficulty entering the unit due to heavy smoke and clutter inside.

Two of the bodies were found in one bedroom, and the third body in another bedroom.

Neighbours described the flat as overcrowded, with the family keeping several pets, including a cat, a bird, and eight rabbits, which caused a strong odour in the common corridor.

"It was very messy and smelly. I could smell it even when the door was closed,” one resident named only as Priya, 42, told the newspaper, adding that the clutter had once blocked access to the rubbish chute.

The fire was extinguished by 3.15pm, but the SCDF continued damping down operations until 7.45pm, rescuing several pets, including eight rabbits.

Engineers from the Building and Construction Authority inspected the block and found no structural damage, although the fire had affected plaster in two of the unit’s bedrooms.

A similar fire broke out in May 2022 in Bedok North that killed three people, including a child.