Fire at Sim Lim Square, no one injured

SINGAPORE: Business came to a standstill for over an hour at Sim Lim Square on Saturday, due to a fire at a restaurant in the building.

The fire broke out at House Kitchen located on the second floor at about 1.30pm.

The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said a stove caught fire but the fire was put out by water sprinklers by the time they arrived.

Shopowners said they heard the explosion sound from the restaurant.

Shoppers and retailers were asked to leave the building as it was engulfed in smoke.

Blowers were used to ventilate the building.

The building re—opened more than an hour later.

A shop owner Chew Keat Yat said: "At 1pm, there was a bit of smoke, and we were afraid. People were telling us to run. The firefighters and police arrived, telling us to close our shops and run."

Another shop owner from the fourth floor said: "I heard the fire alarm, and saw smoke coming from the second floor. The police arrived, and everyone started to close shops. We then left the building through the safety exit."

There were no injuries.

— CNA/ck