Fire broke out at a mixed vegetable rice stall, caused whole food court to shut down

SINGAPORE: A fire broke out at a mixed vegetable rice stall in a food court, forcing the entire food court to close for safety reasons.

Videos posted online showed flames erupting on the first floor of a multi-storey car park where the food court is located. Several fire engines and police cars rushed to the scene, with Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) personnel using extinguishers and hoses to battle the blaze.

The fire reportedly started in the kitchen of the mixed rice stall shortly after the food court had opened for the day. A neighbouring shop owner said, “My staff grabbed two fire extinguishers from our store, and a nearby supermarket also sent several extinguishers to help. SCDF arrived quickly and put out the fire. Fortunately, my shop and the surrounding area were unaffected.”

There were no visible signs of fire damage on the walkways or ceiling outside the food court, and other nearby shops remained unaffected and continued operating as usual.

No injuries were reported.

The authorities confirmed that the fire involved items in a food court stall, and the civil defence personnel used two water hoses to extinguish the fire. More so, no one was reported injured, and the cause of the fire is still under investigation. 

On Facebook, netizens expressed their thoughts and opinions on the matter. One netizen commented on how the public and the authorities responded to the incident and said, “All aunties walking and coming out of the outlet like nothing happened. Even firemen see no urgency.” 

Another netizen was curious and asked: “Was there really a fire? Why the less concerned attitude from passersby?” 

In case of a fire accident like this, the public is encouraged to focus on staying safe. Here are some reminders to do once a fire starts: 

• Stay calm and call the authorities. 
• Warn others and help them leave the building.
• If possible, close the door and windows in the room with the fire to stop it from spreading. This will cut off the fire’s supply of air and fuel.
• Turn off the gas supply if it’s safe to do so.
• If it’s safe, use a fire extinguisher to try to put out the fire, but don’t risk your safety.