No injuries reported after SCDF extinguishes fire at Hong Lim Market & Food Centre
A fire involving a kitchen exhaust ducting broke out at Hong Lim Market and Food Centre during the lunchtime rush on Friday (2 Jan).
The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) responded swiftly and extinguished the blaze, with no injuries reported.
Fire reportedly started at seafood stall
A video by TikTok user @mmmagneto shows thick plumes of smoke billowing from the food centre as onlookers gather along a nearby road to watch the situation unfold.
Source: @mmmagneto on TikTok
According to the original poster (OP), the atmosphere remained relatively calm despite the heavy smoke.
She noted that SCDF officers arrived within about 10 minutes.
Source: @mmmagneto on TikTok
Her video captured two SCDF fire engines at the scene, with officers deploying water jets from ground level to put out the flames.
Source: @mmmagneto on TikTok
She added that the blaze originated from Ho Kee Seafood, a stall within the food centre, and spread quickly before reaching the ceiling.
Officers were later seen dousing the surrounding areas to prevent the fire from spreading further.
Source: @mmmagneto on TikTok
Patrons evacuate with food in hand
Another TikTok user, who was inside the food centre at the time of the incident, described thick smoke quickly filling the premises.
He said he decided to leave after detecting a “pungent” smell, which he likened to burning cooking oil and kitchen materials.
His video showed patrons making their way out of the food centre, with some leaving while still carrying their bowls and plates of food.
Source: @vibingwithhunter on TikTok
This aligned with a post shared on Reddit, where one user remarked that there were at least two people who ran down the stairs with their bowls of noodles to continue with their lunch.
Kitchen exhaust ducting involved
In response to queries from MS News, SCDF confirmed that it was alerted to the incident at 12.40pm.
Firefighters extinguished the blaze using three water jets and evacuated four people from the affected block as a precaution. No injuries were reported.
SCDF said the fire involved the kitchen exhaust ducting on the second floor of the block.
Further investigations into the cause of the fire are ongoing.
As a preventive measure, SCDF advised the public to ensure that stoves, surrounding areas, and exhaust duct openings are kept free of grease and oil stains.
Regular cleaning and maintenance of exhaust ducts, at least once a year, can also help reduce the risk of kitchen exhaust ducting fires.
Also read: 1 person sent to hospital due to fire at Boon Keng coffeeshop, 100 people evacuated
1 person sent to hospital due to fire at Boon Keng coffeeshop, 100 people evacuated
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Featured image adapted from @mmmagneto on TikTok.
