Help for wet market gutted by Jurong West fire
Mr Ang Wei Neng, a Member of Parliament (MP) for Jurong GRC, visits the site of the fire on Oct 11, 2016. Photo: Alfred Chua/TODAY
SINGAPORE — Stall operators affected by the fire that gutted a wet market and two coffee shops in Jurong West early on Tuesday (Oct 11) morning may be able to operate out of an alternative site nearby.
A total of 46 operators at Blocks 493 and 494 in Jurong West Street 41 saw their livelihoods go up in flames after an early morning blaze engulfed their premises.
About 300 residents were also evacuated from their homes due to the fire, which was put out by the Singapore Civil Defence Force by 4.15am. They have since returned back to their homes.
Mr Ang Wei Neng, a Member of Parliament (MP) for Jurong GRC, said although stall operators have been told they could rent vacant stalls immediately from National Environment Agency to operate elsewhere, some have indicated their preference to operate nearby. So he said: “Now we are actively exploring a possible alternate site for them, if there is a demand.”
The proposed alternative is to set up a temporary wet market and hawker centre at the new basketball court in front of Block 498, which was constructed in July.
The visibly upset stall operators who spoke to TODAY said they were undecided on their plans. But they added that they are open to the idea of relocating to the temporary site.
Mdm Noorlin Rahman, who runs Noorlin Seafood at Block 494’s 24-hour coffee shop, witnessed the explosion that subsequently engulfed the area.
Describing the blaze as “scary”, she said the fire started small.
"Then it led to explosions because the market had two fridges. And by then, it was beyond control," she added.
A resident who gave her name as Mdm Kua said she heard multiple explosions around 2 to 3am. Even though the housewife lives at Block 471, a good 10 minutes’ walk away, she could see "a lot of smoke, and a huge fire, almost three storeys high" from her bedroom window.
Mdm Kua who frequently shops at the market said she will now have to go to another market further away.
Retiree Albert Ho, 70, who patronises the area thrice a week with his wife to get groceries said: "It is sad that the market has to close. People know one other here. I hope the stall owners won’t be too badly affected."
Ms Nesh of Noorlin Seafood also told TODAY that at the time of the blaze, she and a few staff had already prepared dishes, like Mee Goreng, and Lontong, for the morning.
They had to discard them as it was covered in soot from the blaze, said Ms Nesh, who said they would “probably close shop for the week” as repair works are under way.
MP Mr Ang said the gutted wet market building is now structurally unsound, and probably have to be torn down and rebuilt.
But he added that since the estate, which is over 30 years old, is currently undergoing Housing and Development Board’s Remaking Our Heartland and Revitalisation of Shops programmes, he wants to see how they can "turn adversity to opportunity" and look into redeveloping and possibly revitalising the wet market, which would take one or two years.
Mr Ang said the stallholders will not be rushed into making a decision about their future plans. He added: “Some of them in a state of confusion over what had happened. They probably need some time to think it over. We will give them some time, maybe a few days, to tell us their preferences, so that we can help them as much as we can. I don’t think we are rushing them into making that decision. “
