Man dies after fire outside Potong Pasir flat, family ‘can’t accept he’s gone’

SINGAPORE: A man was found dead following a fire in Potong Pasir on Wednesday (Aug 28). Police said no foul play is suspected.
The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said it was alerted to a fire outside a flat at Block 107 Potong Pasir Avenue 1 at about 6.45am. At the same, the police received a call asking for help.
The fire was put out by members of the public with a fire extinguisher before officers arrived, said SCDF.
The 44-year-old man was found lying motionless outside the flat and was pronounced dead at the scene by a paramedic. Newspaper Lianhe Zaobao reported that a charred male body was found outside the flat.
The man’s older brother, who only wanted to be known as Mr Lim, identified the deceased as Lim Min Lee.
He also told reporters that the victim was a kind person, as well as righteous and loyal.
“He enjoys his life and every moment … carefree,” Mr Lim said. “(We) can’t accept that he’s just gone.”
When CNA arrived around noon, the eighth floor of Block 107 was cordoned off. Police activity appeared to be muted apart from two officers standing guard. Ash could be seen outside a flat that was blocked off by the police.
At around 12.30pm, officers were also seen putting up a white sheet at the other cordoned-off end on the eighth floor. Loud crying was heard coming from outside the flat.
Shortly after, undertakers moved the body from the scene to a hearse parked downstairs.
Earlier, a CNA reader spotted eight police vehicles at the foot of the block, with police personnel also spotted outside an eighth-floor unit.
The reader, who identified himself as Kyler, said he lives a few floors up on the same block. He took a photo of the police cars at 8.45am and sensed that something was not right. Police had already cordoned off the scene by then, he added.
A woman who lives on the seventh floor told CNA that she smelled “something burning” at around 7am.
Mdm Maisah initially thought it was coming from her house and proceeded to check if anything had caught fire.
The 77-year-old had also wondered if the smell was due to prayers.
“Then I go (and check), there was nothing. No smoke,” Mdm Maisah said.
Another resident who lives on the sixth floor also took similar action, adding that she saw no signs of smoke but had heard a scream around 5am.
Both residents shared that they were unaware there had been a death until the police had informed them.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Mr Lim told members of the media that the deceased had been living at the flat with their cousin for about one to two years.
Mr Lim, 45, said his younger brother was “drunk” and a friend had accompanied him home at around 6am on Wednesday.
As the friend knocked on the door to be allowed in, the next-door neighbour approached the pair and complained about the noise, according to Mr Lim.
He added that the friend then left his brother outside the flat before leaving. 
“Suddenly, there was shouting and there was a fire. So, my brother got burnt,” said Mr Lim. “We don’t know how he got burnt. We got no information.”
His mother then received a call from their cousin around 9am, informing the family of the death.
She was “very sad” about the news but Mr Lim felt he “had to be calm” for his family.
It was only when he saw his brother’s charred body that he “got really emotional”.
“The police were very kind to let me have a last look,” he said.
“My brother is actually very good-looking. Looks like Andy Lau,” Mr Lim added, referring to the Hong Kong singer-actor.
“If you look at him, he still looks that way.” 
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