The youngest son of Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister and actor-turned-politician Pawan Kalyan was among those injured in a fire that broke out at River Valley Road in Singapore on Tuesday morning, 8 April 2025.
Times of India reported that eight-year-old Mark Shankar Pawanovich sustained burns on his hands and legs, and faced breathing difficulties due to smoke inhalation from the fire.
The child, who studies in Singapore, had received treatment at a hospital, where he underwent a bronchoscopy to clear his airways.
Mark was Among the Hospitalized; One Child Dead
A total of 22 individuals were hospitalized, including 16 children and 6 adults, after the fire, police said in a statement. Tragically, a 10-year-old girl lost her life in the incident.
Reports confirmed that Mark Shankar was among those who sustained injuries.
Pawan Kalyan Visited Hospital After Flying to Singapore
During the incident, Pawan Kalyan was on an official tour in the tribal villages of Andhra Pradesh, according to reports.
Despite officials’ advice to fly to Singapore immediately, he completed his commitments before boarding a flight on Tuesday night.
Upon arrival, he went straight to the hospital to be with his son.
Mark is Now Stable; Under Supervision for a Few More Days
As of Thursday, 10 April, Pawan Kalyan’s team confirmed on Wednesday (9 April) that Mark had been moved out of the emergency ward.
However, he would remain under medical supervision for at least three more days.
Doctors will continue conducting further tests to supervise his condition closely.
Fire Broke Out on the Second and Third Floors of the Shophouse
The fire occurred at a three-story shophouse located at 278 River Valley Road. The building was conducting classes when the fire broke out at around 9:45 am.
When they arrived, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said the fire was raging on the second and third floors.
In addition, several people were also left stranded on a ledge outside the third-floor unit.
“Members of the public, including construction workers, used a metal scaffolding and a ladder to reach those stranded and brought a number of them to safety. SCDF immediately deployed rescue ladders and a Combined Platform Ladder to rescue the rest of the stranded persons on the ledge.” SCDF said in its Facebook post.
The fire was extinguished with 3 water jets within 30 minutes.
Police and SCDF evacuated approximately 80 individuals from the affected shophouse and surrounding areas.
Reports also stated that the shophouse structure wasn’t damaged, and authorities confirmed that the fire did not spread to nearby buildings, which are still safe to stay in.
SCDF’s Preliminary Findings
In a recent update by the SCDF, preliminary investigations suggested that the fire likely came from a storage area on the second floor.
Investigations for the cause of the fire are still ongoing.
Featured images courtesy of Instagram and SCDF on Facebook.
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