On July 29, 2025, a fire broke out in a 10th-floor unit at Block 229 Lorong 8 Toa Payoh, spreading quickly to the unit above and sending shockwaves through the quiet residential neighborhood.

Seven people, including a child and a firefighter, were hospitalized. Dozens more were evacuated as smoke engulfed the building. 

For one family, the fire consumed nearly everything they owned — and for others, the long path to recovery is only just beginning.

So what happened? And what kind of insurance coverage applies in a situation like this?

On The Big Story, Hongbin Jeong speaks with David Sun, Crime Correspondent, The Straits Times and Chun Wei Oh, Director of Avallis Financial, to find out more.