Time for thorough review of fire safety in older shophouses

The recent fire at River Valley, which tragically claimed a young life and left 21 others, including children, injured, has raised critical questions about fire safety, particularly in older structures like shophouses (10-year-old girl dies after fire breaks out at River Valley Road shophouse, April 8).

- Sarah Lee-Wong Mayfern

Like many, I am shocked at this incident. One would assume that, in a developed nation, established building and fire safety protocols would have proactively addressed and mitigated such risks, particularly with regard to the number of exits required for different types of buildings and occupancies.

The tragedy underscores the potential dangers inherent in properties that may have limited exit routes. Shophouses like the one that caught fire, as they are often configured, often have only one exit route and can pose significant fire hazards.