A dry rising main at Block 229 Toa Payoh Lorong 8 was found to be faulty when the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) tackled a fire on 29 July.
SCDF confirmed on 30 July that the defect prevented water from being pumped to higher floors.
Firefighters resorted to laying hoses directly from the fire engine on the ground up to the 10th and 11th floors via the staircase.
The fire had engulfed a unit on the 10th floor and spread to another on the 11th.
Seven people, including a firefighter and a child, were sent to hospital for treatment.
An SCDF spokesman said this method was more demanding but added that such contingencies were part of regular training drills.
The dry rising main, a vertical pipe, remains empty until charged by water from a fire engine during emergencies.
Its function is to deliver water swiftly to upper levels during a blaze.
SCDF stated it is cooperating with the Bishan-Toa Payoh Town Council to probe the failure and repair the system promptly.
The spokesman emphasised that SCDF takes fire safety seriously and will act firmly against any breaches, including poor maintenance of safety installations.
Residents earlier told Lianhe Zaobao they observed firefighters struggling with the faulty dry riser.
Concerns were also raised over evacuation routes, as the 25-storey point block has only a single staircase.
A similar fault occurred in August 2020 when a wet riser failed at Block 138C Lorong 1A Toa Payoh, hindering efforts to battle a 20th-floor fire.
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