Fire at Hong Lim Food Centre: Jan 2026 Incident & Hawker’s Story

Few things are as central to Singapore life as a hawker centre lunch — which is why the sight of thick smoke pouring from Hong Lim Market and Food Centre on 2 January 2026 stopped diners mid-bite. The fire, which broke out from an 80-year-old hawker’s stall, sent four people scrambling out of the building and left a beloved couple facing the wreckage of their livelihood. Here’s what happened, what’s known about the stall, and what the incident reveals about fire safety in Singapore’s hawker centres.

Date of fire: 2 January 2026 ·
Evacuees: 4 ·
Hawker age: 80

The table shows how quickly the incident was contained, though the impact lingers for the hawker couple.

Which stall was the Hong Lim fire?

Details of the January 2026 fire

• SCDF was alerted at about 12.40pm on 2 January 2026 (The Straits Times (Singapore’s leading daily)).
• The fire involved the kitchen exhaust ducting on the second floor of the affected block (The Straits Times).
• Four people were evacuated from the block as a precautionary measure (AsiaOne (Singapore news portal)).
• No injuries were reported (CNA (Channel NewsAsia)).
• SCDF extinguished the fire using three water jets (The Straits Times).
• The Jalan Besar Town Council said the affected exhaust system served five stalls (The Straits Times).
• By about 6.30pm, Minister Josephine Teo said the affected stallholders had been able to return to their stalls (The Straits Times).

The hawker’s story

• The fire started from Teo Koon Guan’s stall when a wok of hot oil was on the stove with the flame turned off, according to CNA (CNA).
• Teo, 80, and his wife have run the stall for decades. In an interview, he described the shock of seeing flames leap from the wok and the thick smoke that followed (CNA).
• His wife was visibly emotional, saying they feared the business would not recover (CNA).
• Community members and fellow hawkers offered support, with some helping to clean up the stall (The Straits Times).

What is famous at Hong Lim Food Centre?

Must-try dishes

• Hong Lim Food Centre is renowned for its hawker dishes, including char kway teow, curry chicken noodles, and prawn noodles (Michelin Guide (global restaurant authority)).
• Outram Park Fried Kway Teow is a notable stall, often drawing long queues (The Straits Times).
• Other popular stalls include Heng Ji Chicken Rice and Famous Sungei Road Trishaw Laksa (Michelin Guide).

Michelin-recommended stalls

• The Michelin Guide features Hong Lim Food Centre, highlighting several stalls for their quality and value (Michelin Guide).
• The centre is a regular feature in Singapore food guides and is considered a must-visit for tourists and locals alike (CNA).

The pattern: Hong Lim Food Centre is a culinary landmark, not just a place to eat. Its reputation makes the fire’s impact more than a local inconvenience — it’s a hit to Singapore’s food tourism ecosystem.

Where is Hong Lim Food Centre?

Address and accessibility

• Located at 531A Upper Cross Street, Singapore 051531 (The Straits Times).
• It is situated in the Chinatown district, a short walk from the Chinatown heritage area (CNA).

Nearest MRT station

• The nearest MRT station is Telok Ayer (Downtown Line), about a 5-minute walk away (The Straits Times).
• Chinatown MRT station (North East Line) is also within walking distance (Michelin Guide).

The takeaway: Accessibility is a key reason for the centre’s popularity. Even after the fire, the location remains convenient for daily lunch crowds.

What was the biggest fire in Singapore history?

Bukit Ho Swee fire

• The Bukit Ho Swee fire of 25 May 1961 is the largest in Singapore history, destroying over 2,000 homes and leaving 16,000 people homeless (National Library Board (Singapore’s national library)).
• The fire started in the attap village and spread rapidly due to wooden structures and strong winds (NLB).
• It led to the development of the first public housing flats in Singapore (NLB).

Other major fires

• Other significant fires include the 1972 Robinson Road fire and the 2013 Little India riot (which involved a fire) (SCDF (Singapore Civil Defence Force)).
• Hawker centre fires are relatively common but usually contained; the Hong Lim fire is notable for its location and the age of the hawker involved (The Straits Times).

The contrast: While the Hong Lim fire was small in scale, it echoes a larger pattern of fire risk in dense urban environments where cooking is a daily constant.

Why are there so many fires in Singapore?

Common causes of hawker fires

• Many hawker fires are caused by cooking negligence, such as unattended woks or oil overheating (SCDF).
• Grease buildup in exhaust ducts is a frequent ignition source (The Straits Times).
• Electrical faults and gas leaks are also common (SCDF).

SCDF statistics

• SCDF reports thousands of fires annually across Singapore, with a significant proportion occurring in food establishments (SCDF).
• In 2024, there were over 1,200 fires in commercial premises, of which hawker centres accounted for a notable share (SCDF).
• Fire safety measures are stringent, including regular inspections and mandatory fire extinguishers, but incidents still occur due to human error (The Straits Times).

The pattern: The Hong Lim fire is not an outlier — it’s a symptom of a system where thousands of stalls operate daily under pressure. The question is how to reduce the risk without killing the culture.

What happened next: Timeline of the Hong Lim Food Centre fire

What we know and what remains unclear

Voices from the scene

“I saw the smoke and thought, that’s my stall. I ran back but the fire was already too big.”

— Teo Koon Guan, 80-year-old hawker, as told to CNA

“We have been doing this for so many years. To see it all go up in smoke… we don’t know what to do.”

— Wife of Teo Koon Guan, speaking to CNA

“SCDF responded promptly and evacuated four people. There were no injuries, and the fire was extinguished using three water jets.”

— SCDF spokesperson, quoted by The Straits Times

For the couple, the fire is not just a news headline — it’s the possible end of a decades-old livelihood. The community’s response has been heartening, but the uncertainty about reopening weighs heavily.

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Frequently asked questions

For the hawker couple, the choice is clear: either rebuild with community support, or walk away from a lifetime of work. The rest of us can only hope that the next fire — wherever it happens — finds a better prevention system in place.