A Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) officer, Muhammad Kamil Mohamed Yasin, aged 39, is scheduled to plead guilty on January 15, 2025, for his role in the tragic death of 19-year-old national serviceman (NSF) Edward H Go during a firefighting operation.
This was confirmed in court records updated on November 18, 2024.
The incident occurred on December 8, 2022, at Block 91 Henderson Road, where SGT1 Go was the first firefighter to respond to a fire.
Unfortunately, he fell unconscious while battling the blaze and later succumbed to suffocation in the hospital after his air cylinder became depleted.
SGT1 Go’s untimely death marked a grim milestone, as he was the first SCDF firefighter to die in the line of duty, leading to a ceremonial funeral and a posthumous promotion to the rank of sergeant.
According to the CNA report, Kamil faces allegations of conducting a rash act that endangered human life by leaving SGT1 Go alone inside the burning flat after exiting without informing anyone of his status.
This action is reported to be contrary to established SCDF protocols.
If found guilty, Kamil could face a maximum of four years in prison, a fine of up to S$10,000, or both. He was charged on October 16, 2023, and is currently on bail set at S$15,000.
Represented by veteran lawyer Ramesh Tiwary, Kamil has been suspended on half-pay since October 19, 2023, and had previously been assigned to an administrative role from August 23, 2023.
The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) previously stated that a second officer is under police investigation concerning the fire incident, as he allegedly failed to ensure the overall safety of the firefighting operations after assuming command.
The SCDF informed The Straits Times on November 18 that it is waiting for the outcome of this officer’s court case before taking any internal actions.
Tragically, on May 16, 2024, Captain Kenneth Tay Xue Qin, 30, a marine rota commander at the SCDF West Coast Marine Fire Station, lost his life while combating a fire aboard the China-flagged tanker Sheng Hang Hua 6.
He lost consciousness during the operation and was later pronounced dead at the hospital, marking him as the second firefighter to die in the line of duty in Singapore.
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