SINGAPORE: If you have modular furniture at home that you rearrange to suit your needs, you may be surprised to find you have something in common with the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF).

Much like how home owners can build their sofas or bookshelves in varying combinations, the components of SCDF's latest-generation oil tank firefighting system – such as water pumps and large monitors – can be put together in different ways to combat large-scale oil storage tank fires.

SCDF’s new system also can discharge up to 100,000 litres of foam solution per minute, equivalent to filling up an Olympic-sized swimming pool within 25 minutes&n...