Central Fire Station

Central Fire Station is Singapore's oldest surviving fire station, located at 62 Hill Street in the Museum planning area. Built between 1908 and 1909 in colonial red-and-white brick style with a distinctive watchtower, it remains an operational fire station. Gazetted as a National Monument in 1998, it houses the Civil Defence Heritage Gallery, which documents the history of firefighting and civil defence in Singapore through exhibits, vintage fire engines and interactive displays.

Visitors can expect a historic red-and-white colonial building with a central tower and operational fire bays on Hill Street. Inside, the Civil Defence Heritage Gallery occupies two levels with vintage fire engines, uniforms, equipment, photographs and interactive exhibits tracing firefighting from the 19th century to modern civil defence. The station remains operational, so visitors can see active fire appliances and crew areas from designated viewing zones. Guided tours explain the architecture and operational history.

Built between 1908 and 1909 to replace the earlier Central Fire Station on Beach Road, it was the main fire station for the city during the colonial period. Designed in a colonial style with a watchtower for spotting fires, it served as headquarters of the Singapore Fire Brigade. It is the oldest surviving fire station in Singapore and was gazetted as a National Monument on 18 December 1998. It continues to house an operational fire station alongside the Civil Defence Heritage Gallery opened in 2001.

Represents the development of firefighting and civil defence in Singapore and is an important example of early 20th-century colonial civic architecture. As a National Monument and home to the Civil Defence Heritage Gallery, it preserves community memory of civil defence and serves as an educational site for public awareness of fire safety and emergency response.