Bukit Ho Swee fire
The Bukit Ho Swee fire was a conflagration that broke out in the squatter settlement of Bukit Ho Swee, Singapore on 25 May 1961. This fire resulted in 4 deaths and injured another 54. It also destroyed more than 2,800 houses around the Bukit Ho Swee area, leaving around 16,000 people homeless. The cause of this conflagration was never established. The Bukit Ho Swee fire was the biggest outbreak of fire in Singapore's history.
The Straits Times front page two days after the fire | |
| Native name | 河水山大火 Kebakaran Bukit Ho Swee |
|---|---|
| Date | 25 May 1961 |
| Time | 3:30 pm (UTC+08:00) |
| Duration | 3:30 pm – 10:00pm |
| Location | Bukit Ho Swee, Singapore |
| Coordinates | 1°17′16.5″N 103°49′43.4″E |
| Type | Conflagration |
| Cause | Unknown |
| Outcome | Around 16,000 people homeless; relocation of affected families to new houses |
| Deaths | 4 |
| Non-fatal injuries | 54 |
| Property damage | A school, a coffee mill, two oil mills, two junk shops, two tyre shops, three timber yards, three workshops, 2,800 houses razed |
The fire was a pivotal point in Singapore's contemporary history. The scale of the destruction sparked an emergency project to swiftly construct accommodation and resettle the people affected by the disaster. This first public housing project, led by the newly formed Housing and Development Board, would eventually lead the way to the development of public housing throughout the country in decades to come.