SINGAPORE: A fire broke out at a hawker centre at block 823A Tampines Street 81 on Saturday (Aug 7) afternoon, disrupting operations as hawkers evacuated the premises.
The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said it was conducting firefighting operations at the location in a statement at about 2.45pm.
Witnesses told CNA that they heard multiple loud explosions at about 2.20pm. A video taken by a stall owner showed orange flames burning inside the hawker centre while a loud explosion sounded.
Other videos and photos of the scene showed dark grey smoke billowing from the hawker centre.
When CNA arrived at the scene, police officers were dispersing crowds away from the fire and telling people to move back so that they would not inhale the smoke.
"DIDN'T EVEN HAVE TIME TO FOLD MY POPIAHS"
A stall helper at the hawker centre said she was folding popiah when she heard another hawker shout. She saw that the stall attendant of a nearby fish soup store was washing dishes with a small fire behind him.
When the fish soup store attendant noticed the fire he threw some water on it, but the fire then grew rapidly, she said.
Some hawkers tried to get a fire extinguisher to put out the fire, she added.
"I didn't even have enough time to fold my popiahs," said the stall helper, who did not want to be named.
"I didn't even have time to take my money. Now I don't even have anything, how am I supposed to go home?"
Another stallholder, who did not want to be named, told CNA that she was preparing ingredients for her store when she noticed that there was a fire and that people were running out of the hawker centre.
"I didn't care about my things, I just saw the fire and ran," she said.
A worker at a zi char stall told CNA that the fire happened at around 2pm to 2.10pm, and that he was shocked to see the fire when he ran over to the affected stall.
"I quickly grabbed my things and ran," said the man, who did not want to be named.
When asked how he felt, he said that it was a "headache" and added that he now could not conduct business.
Employees of a KFC restaurant near the hawker centre told CNA that they immediately ran upon smelling gas. There were no customers inside the restaurant then.
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The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said it was conducting firefighting operations at the location in a statement at about 2.45pm.
Witnesses told CNA that they heard multiple loud explosions at about 2.20pm. A video taken by a stall owner showed orange flames burning inside the hawker centre while a loud explosion sounded.
Other videos and photos of the scene showed dark grey smoke billowing from the hawker centre.
When CNA arrived at the scene, police officers were dispersing crowds away from the fire and telling people to move back so that they would not inhale the smoke.
"DIDN'T EVEN HAVE TIME TO FOLD MY POPIAHS"
A stall helper at the hawker centre said she was folding popiah when she heard another hawker shout. She saw that the stall attendant of a nearby fish soup store was washing dishes with a small fire behind him.
When the fish soup store attendant noticed the fire he threw some water on it, but the fire then grew rapidly, she said.
Some hawkers tried to get a fire extinguisher to put out the fire, she added.
"I didn't even have enough time to fold my popiahs," said the stall helper, who did not want to be named.
"I didn't even have time to take my money. Now I don't even have anything, how am I supposed to go home?"
Another stallholder, who did not want to be named, told CNA that she was preparing ingredients for her store when she noticed that there was a fire and that people were running out of the hawker centre.
"I didn't care about my things, I just saw the fire and ran," she said.
A worker at a zi char stall told CNA that the fire happened at around 2pm to 2.10pm, and that he was shocked to see the fire when he ran over to the affected stall.
"I quickly grabbed my things and ran," said the man, who did not want to be named.
When asked how he felt, he said that it was a "headache" and added that he now could not conduct business.
Employees of a KFC restaurant near the hawker centre told CNA that they immediately ran upon smelling gas. There were no customers inside the restaurant then.
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