Wet market in Sembawang closed after fire breaks out

When baker Sery Rahim was leaving her workshop at 512 Wellington Circle around 12.30am yesterday to go to her mother's place, she heard a series of popping sounds behind her.

When she turned around, she saw the nearby Sembawang Mart glowing with "bright, orange light".

"I realised it was a fire, and I immediately left my car and called 995," Madam Sery, 37, told The New Paper.

She also live-streamed the incident on Facebook.

A spokesman for the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) confirmed that it was alerted to a fire at 511 Canberra Road at 12.45am yesterday that "involved contents of a wet market".

The spokesman added: "SCDF conducted forced entry into the market (and) extinguished the fire using three water jets. There were no reported injuries."

Singapore

Man jumps out of window to escape fire

Dec 20, 2021

Related Stories

Otter attack leaves man with more than 20 wounds

Four people, including two kids, taken to hospital after PMD fire

200 evacuated after fire breaks out at Shaw Centre eatery

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

SHOPPING CENTRE

A Sembawang Mart spokesman said the fire happened at Lucky Mart wet market, located in the shopping centre.

He said: "There are over 20 stalls in Lucky Mart. Police are investigating, and the mart will be closed until further notice."

He added that the other shops in Sembawang Mart, including FairPrice store above the wet market, are operating as usual.

Madam Sery said a crowd of at least 30 people had gathered when the firefighters arrived.

Having lived in Sembawang for more than 21 years, she said a fire of this size is "uncommon and scary".

"As a business owner myself, I could feel the pain (of the stall owners affected). I hope their losses can be covered by insurance," she said.

Health Minister and Member of Parliament for Sembawang GRC Ong Ye Kung posted about the fire on social media yesterday. He commended the residents who called SCDF as well as SCDF for its "swift action in extinguishing the fire".

Said Mr Ong: "While the cause of fire is still being investigated, given the extent of the fire, we will work with HDB to reinstate the wet market (as soon as possible) and reach out to all affected stallholders to provide assistance."