SCDF Officer Gets 6 Months' Jail Over Death of NSF Who Fought Blaze Alone

Warrant officer left Bukit Merah flat to rest without informing anyone about colleague

- Nadine Chua

Despite knowing that firefighters in the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) must operate minimally in pairs, a senior SCDF officer left a full-time national serviceman (NSF) to fight a fire alone.

Muhammad Kamil Mohamed Yasin, 39, a Warrant Officer 2, did so as he felt dizzy from the heat while fighting a fire at Block 91 Henderson Road in Bukit Merah on Dec 8, 2022, and wanted to rest.

He gave 19-year-old Edward H. Go a thumbs up, left the HDB flat and did not tell colleagues that the NSF was fighting the fire alone.

Sgt 1 Go was later found motionless on the kitchen floor. The cause of his death was suffocation due to a depleted air cylinder.

On Jan 15, Kamil pleaded guilty to one charge of causing grievous hurt to Sgt 1 Go by committing a rash act which endangers life and was sentenced to six months' jail.

Sgt 1 Go was the first firefighter to die during an SCDF firefighting operation. He was posthumously promoted to the rank of Sergeant (1).

Sgt 1 Go's family was present during Kamil's hearing on Jan 15.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Benjamin Low said Kamil had been a firefighter since 2008 and knew that firefighters must always operate minimally in pairs.

On Dec 8, 2022, SCDF received a call about a blaze at Block 91 Henderson Road.

When firefighters reached the unit at around 11.25am, the fire was still raging.

Kamil, who was the highest-ranking officer there, Sgt 1 Go and a third firefighter entered the unit.

At this point, the third firefighter felt fatigued and asked Kamil if he could leave before doing so.