SCDF officer charged over death of 19-year-old NSF firefighter after Henderson Road blaze
The police said that the officer, who was SGT1 Go's superior, allegedly left him alone to fight the fire without informing anyone, contrary to SCDF's procedures
SINGAPORE — A 38-year-old officer from the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) was charged on Monday (16 October) over an offence related to the death of a 19-year-old full-time national serviceman after a firefighting operation.
CNA reported on Monday that the officer, Muhammad Kamil Mohamed Yasin, was charged with one count of causing grievous hurt by a rash act endangering life or personal safety.
Firefighter's death during SCDF operation prompts charges
Sergeant 1 Edward H Go fell unconscious during the operation at Block 91 Henderson Road on 8 December 2022, and subsequently died in the hospital. According to a statement from the SCDF, released on Saturday, a second SCDF officer was separately referred by the police to the SCDF for departmental action.
This incident marked the first time a firefighter lost their life during an SCDF operation.
According to the police statement also released on Saturday, the SCDF officer to be charged, who was SGT1 Go's superior, had allegedly left him alone in the Henderson housing unit to combat the ongoing fire without informing anyone, which was contrary to SCDF's firefighting doctrine.
An autopsy conducted on SGT1 Go determined that his cause of death was "suffocation due to depleted air cylinder".
The police stated that their investigation did not uncover any evidence suggesting equipment failure as the cause of SGT1 Go's death.
"The police, in consultation with the Attorney-General’s Chambers, will be charging the SCDF officer in court on 16 October 2023 for an offence of causing grievous hurt by a rash act which endangers life or the personal safety of others under Section 338(a) of the Penal Code 1871," the statement said.
If found guilty, the SCDF officer could face a maximum penalty of up to four years in jail, a fine of up to $10,000, or both.
Second officer being investigated by the SCDF
The SCDF has also initiated an investigation into the second officer who, upon arriving and assuming command of the firefighting operation, allegedly failed to ensure its overall safety.
"If our investigation finds that this officer had contravened SCDF's doctrine on firefighting or standard operating procedures during the incident, we will take disciplinary action against him," the SCDF said.
Pending the outcome of the investigation, the SCDF said that the officer had been redeployed to a non-supervisory and non-operational post.
Do you have a story tip? Email: sgnews.tips@yahooinc.com.
You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Twitter. Also check out our Southeast Asia, Food, and Gaming channels on YouTube.
