An 80-year-old tze char stall owner at Hong Lim Food Centre has been left overwhelmed by guilt after a fire at his stall affected neighbouring hawkers, forcing multiple stalls to stop operations and disrupting their livelihoods.
Following the fire, cooking equipment and tableware at Ho Kee Seafood were damaged beyond use, while four other stalls were also affected and unable to continue business. Customer traffic at the food centre has also dropped noticeably since the incident. The elderly stall owner has reportedly been so troubled by the impact on fellow hawkers that he has lost his appetite and has been unable to sleep well.
It was reported earlier that Ho Kee Seafood, located on the second floor of Hong Lim Food Centre, caught fire on Jan 2, with the blaze spreading to nearby stalls. No one was injured, but because the fire involved the exhaust ducting, a total of five stalls were required to suspend operations.
Speaking to Shin Min Daily News, the stall owner’s wife, Ah Ying, 52, said that during the closure, the family of three had zero income. Repairs and the replacement of a refrigerator, cooking equipment and tableware have already cost about $2,800.
“The new year has just begun. I only bought a new stove two months ago, but it’s now been burnt black and needs to be replaced. Next month, I still have to pay my daughter’s university fees,” she said.
Ah Ying became emotional several times during the interview. She shared that her husband, Teo Koon Guan, 80, has yet to recover from the shock of the fire.
According to her, he feels deeply guilty towards the other affected stallholders.
“He used to have a very good appetite and could eat two or three bowls of rice in one meal. Now, he only eats a little, and he doesn’t sleep well at night.”
“I’ve also tried to persuade him to come back to the stall to take a look, but he feels too sorry towards others and refuses to come,” she added.
On their plans moving forward, Ah Ying said that once the stall is repaired, she will run it on her own for the time being, while her husband takes a break.
“After he adjusts, we’ll let him help out outside the stall instead, so he doesn’t have to deal with open flames and be reminded of the incident. I’ll take over the cooking,” she said.
She added that the family does not yet know how long the stall will remain closed, and hopes the authorities can waive their rent during the period of suspension.
Their daughter, Kelly Teo, 24, also told Shin Min Daily News that her father’s mobile phone was destroyed in the fire. As her mother was busy purchasing new kitchen equipment and supplies, she used her own savings to buy him a new phone.
“This is a small thing I can do, and I hope it can put him at ease,” she said.
She added that her father remains emotionally shaken by the incident, has been low in spirits and unwilling to talk much, which has been heartbreaking for the family.
“I’ll continue to encourage him to stay positive and not put too much pressure on himself,” she said.
