When a routine patrol turns into a race against time, our officers show that serving in blue means being ready for anything – even charging towards a burning building while others run the opposite way.
By: Domnic Dass
What started as a routine morning patrol for Rochor Neighbourhood Police Centre (NPC) Ground Response Force (GRF) officers took an unexpected turn on 3 February 2025 when a fire broke out at a shophouse along Norris Road. Here’s how six Singapore Police Force (SPF) officers responded, without fear and hesitation, to safeguard lives and property.
The Smoke Signal
“A member of the public alerted us to a fire nearby,” recalls Sergeant (Sgt) Nur Farzana Azman. Looking up, she spotted grey smoke billowing from a shophouse unit.
She immediately alerted the Police Operations Command Centre (POCC) about the incident and instructed her patrol partner, Special Constable Sergeant (SC/Sgt) Aarav Jayalapan, who’d only joined Rochor NPC in April 2024, to retrieve the fire extinguisher from their Next-Generation Fast Response Car.
Heroes in Blue Converge
Like a well-oiled machine, two nearby patrol teams arrived at the scene after hearing their colleagues’ call for assistance. Having served as a Volunteer Special Constabulary officer for nine years before he joined the SPF in 2019, Team Leader, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Gerald Chan, immediately took charge.
With him was Sgt Damien Seah, who’d joined the SPF in 2020. “I know the patrol sector well and rushed to the incident scene,” he explains. “My concern was not only on the fire but also the safety of members of the public.”
They were soon joined by Sgt Benjamin Tan, who joined the SPF in 2015 and has served at Rochor NPC since 2021. With him was his partner, Special Constable Corporal (SC/Cpl) Amir Armand Wagner.
“We immediately provided backup,” Sgt Tan shares. “Everyone arrived within minutes, fire extinguishers in hand. We all knew exactly what needed to be done!”
Battling the Blaze
The fight against the blaze began in earnest. While ASP Chan and SC/Sgt Aarav confronted the flames, Sgt Seah and Sgt Nur Farzana raced through nearby units to evacuate residents, together with SC/Cpl Armand and Sgt Tan who assisted in traffic control and keeping people away.
“My priority was to evacuate everyone first,” Sgt Nur Farzana shares.
Sgt Tan also recalls how nearby shop owners and members of the public offered their fire extinguishers without hesitation. “After using two fire extinguishers, we seemed to have made some progress,” he shares. “But this fire had other plans.”
As the flames roared back stronger, the team took turns facing the blaze.
ASP Chan’s focus remained clear during the firefighting: “My priority was safety. I called out to check if anyone was trapped inside the burning unit while trying to prevent the fire from spreading until the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) officers arrived.”
Evacuating to Safety
The situation escalated quickly. The sound of shattering glass pierced the air. Metal pipes crashed from the ceiling. Small explosions echoed from within as the fire spread further.
“At this point, with the SCDF firefighters enroute to the scene, we shifted our focus to evacuating people in the vicinity, after assessing there were safety concerns with the raging fire,” Sgt Tan recalls.
In the chaos, their training shone through. “We evacuated more than 20 people to an open space away from the incident location,” ASP Chan recounts. “Among them were dialysis patients and medical staff from a nearby clinic.”
Even as the fire spread to neighbouring units and damaged two nearby vehicles, the officers remained laser-focused on their primary mission: ensuring everyone’s safety. As a result of their actions, the fire was safely extinguished by SCDF firefighters, with no injuries.
Safeguarding Every Day
“Our officers responded quickly and did a good job,” ASP Chan reflects, “reinforcing our commitment to safeguarding every day. I’m very proud of my teammates for stepping up and showing great courage.”
"When there's a threat to public safety, we don't think twice. We act." - ASP Gerald Chan
According to ASP Chan, the community played a crucial role too: “Their public-spiritedness was commendable. It was heartwarming to see members of the public assisting us without being asked and sharing their fire extinguishers with us!”
This incident stands as a testament to the readiness of our Police officers and the spirit of community partnership. While their standard patrol duties might involve deterring crime and maintaining order, this team showed that being Police officers means being ready for anything, any time – even if it means running towards danger while others turn away.
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