Burnt incense paper that caused Chai Chee St fire sparks debate online

SINGAPORE: A fire on Sunday morning (July 13) at Block 52 Chai Chee Street was successfully put out by firefighters from the Paya Lebar and Changi Fire Stations using a water jet.

However, the incident caused seven people to require medical attention. Fortunately, none of them needed to be conveyed to the hospital. As a precautionary measure, a total of 35 people were evacuated from the premises by officers from the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF).

The blaze was concentrated at the lift lobby on the 13th floor, which affected two units on the floor above with heat and soot damage.

The fire began after a woman burned joss paper for Guanyin’s birthday. Unfortunately, the flames spread to several items nearby, and the SCDF was called in shortly past 8:00 on Sunday morning.

A resident named Mr Yang told Lianhe Zaobao that while his wife usually burns joss papers outdoors, on Sunday, she chose to perform the ritual at the lift lobby, where he usually keeps items that catch fire, including wooden cabinets and chairs.

The fire also caused the power to be cut out for a few hours.

Unsurprisingly, commenters online had some negative things to say about Mr Yang, 66, and his wife.

A Reddit user held them both responsible for the fire: “Mr Yang for hoarding flammable rubbish and his wife for burning incense paper next to the flammable rubbish.”

“Hope they’ll be charged and made an example of,” wrote another.

To this, a commenter replied: “Entitled folks not wanting to use bin below. Let’s see if they get charged or not.”

Another chimed in to say, “Honestly, those barrels should also be banned… Anyone who has ever lived on a low floor knows how bad it can get during some months. If you have no air-conditioning, your options are to choke or to choke and melt from heat.”

However, one wrote the following: “As someone who burns incense, I say times have changed, and the right way to burn incense is to go to the temple and use the ones there.

As well ……it is rude to burn incense at the void deck because the smoke does give people who want to dry clothes a bad time….like need to rewash.”

“I mean, in a perfect world, I would appreciate neighbours who don’t burn offerings. It’s not a perfect world, though, and we have to make do. I empathise with you. I’d rather they burn in the barrels than everywhere else they feel like,” a Reddit user chimed in. /TISG

Read also: Jurong West landlord evicts tenant after his power bank catches fire & causes damage