A man who ignited a box containing 25 fireworks near a block of flats in Yishun on April 9 last month has been fined S$5,000.
According to the report, Noor Azhar Abdul Abas, 40, pleaded guilty to discharging dangerous fireworks on Tuesday (May 28).
The incident occurred at a grass patch near Block 644 Yishun Street 61 on April 9, the eve of Hari Raya Puasa, at around 10.40pm. On the same day, a TikTok user @pale.nuetral posted an eight-second video showing fireworks sparks near a Housing Development Board (HDB) block.
The incident was reported to the police, who arrived at the scene at approximately 10:42pm on the same day, as stated in the Singapore Police Force’s news release on Apr. 15.
Authorities identified Noor Azhar through the use of images from police cameras and CCTV as well as through on-the-ground investigations before apprehending him on Apr. 14.
A video of the incident, showing the fireworks going off in the housing estate, was shared on social media platform TikTok but has since been removed.
In court, it was revealed that in March of this year, Noor Azhar purchased a box containing 25 tubes of fireworks labeled “Happy Boom Shoot” from an unidentified individual in the Geylang area. He intended to use them for the Hari Raya Puasa celebrations the following month.
$5000 FINE
On the eve of Hari Raya, he set off the fireworks at a grass patch in Yishun, resulting in the fireworks reaching about 10 storeys high and lasting for approximately two minutes. It was not specified in court documents whether this grass patch was near Noor Azhar’s residence.
The spectacle caused by the fireworks alarmed members of the public, prompting them to alert the police, who were able to track down Noor Azhar through surveillance footage in the area.
The leftover fireworks were confiscated for examination.
Court proceedings included the screening of two video clips of the incident, as per the report.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Norman Yew requested a S$5,000 fine as punishment. DPP Yew emphasized that Noor Azhar’s actions caused unnecessary panic among residents, noting that there was an element of premeditation involved.
During his plea for leniency, Noor Azhar expressed deep regret for his actions, stating that they were conducted without thinking, the report added.
It is considered illegal under the Dangerous Fireworks Act to possess, sell, transport, deliver, distribute, import, or discharge dangerous fireworks in Singapore. Noor Azhar faced a potential sentence of up to two years in prison, a fine ranging from S$2,000 to S$10,000, or both for his offense.
Image via Tiktok screengrab
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