---
title: "Moneylender staff extinguish bin fire in Chinatown before SCDF arrives"
url: "/singapore-seen/moneylender-staff-extinguish-bin-fire-chinatown-scdf-arrives"
published: "2026-01-19T04:05:41.000Z"
updated: "2026-01-19T07:28:26.000Z"
section: "Singapore Seen"
authors: ["Elijah Stanley"]
tags: ["Fire","Chinatown"]
---

# Moneylender staff extinguish bin fire in Chinatown before SCDF arrives

*A fire broke out in a rubbish bin beside Fook Hai Building in Chinatown on Jan 14.*

A fire broke out in a rubbish bin beside Fook Hai Building in Chinatown on Jan 14.

Stomper Steven said the incident occurred at about 11.30am.

“Thanks to the staff of a licensed moneylender nearby, they helped to put out the fire before firefighters arrived,” he said.

According to Steven, the fire had spread from the bin to a heap of papers placed next to it. Photos he shared show ashes beside the damaged bin.

In response to a Stomp query, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said it was alerted to the fire near 531 Upper Cross Street at about 11.35am.

“The fire, which involved the contents of a rubbish bin, was extinguished by members of the public prior to SCDF’s arrival,” said SCDF.

There were no reported injuries and the cause of the fire is under investigation.