---
title: "Queenstown HDB fire believed to have been caused by candle that fell on plant"
url: "/trending-now/queenstown-hdb-fire-believed-have-been-caused-candle-fell-plant"
published: "2026-10-20T09:47:27.000Z"
updated: "2026-10-20T09:58:31.000Z"
section: "Trending Now"
authors: ["Trixy Toh"]
tags: ["TNP News","Fire","Queenstown","candle","flat","HDB","Mei Ling Street"]
---

# Queenstown HDB fire believed to have been caused by candle that fell on plant

*A fire that broke out at a Housing Board flat in Queenstown is believed to have been sparked by a fallen candle.*

A fire that broke out at an Housing Board flat in Queenstown is believed to have been caused by a candle that fell onto plants.

SCDF officers were alerted to the fire, which occurred on the 10th floor of Block 158 Mei Ling Street, at about 12.30pm on Oct 19. Two people were subsequently taken to the hospital for smoke inhalation.

A visit to the scene by Shin Min Daily News found that two units had been affected, including one that was a combined unit.

The ceiling of the combined unit appeared blackened by smoke, with large patches of paint and plaster peeling away.

A bedroom window in the adjacent unit was shattered, leaving glass fragments scattered across the bed. The ceiling fan had also melted from the intense heat.

![fire Queenstown flat fallen candle](https://cassette.sphdigital.com.sg/image/stomp/a619f4608179e58d903999a6cbd7c944f2b322de857d72b70d07f04b1419fe0e)
*The ceiling fan had melted from the intense heat.*

## Fire believed to have started by fallen candle

The male homeowner of one of the affected units told Shin Min that the fire may have been sparked by a candle he had placed on the parapet wall.

“I lit the candle to pray and make offerings. It may have been blown over by the wind and fallen onto a plant, causing the fire,” he said.

He added that he sustained an injury to his left knee during the incident.

## Neighbours waited 6 to 7 hours before returning home

A neighbour living on the same floor, Karthiyayini, 59, said she was cooking when she and her daughter noticed a burning smell.

They proceeded to turn off the stove and headed over to the living room.

“When I went to the living room and opened the front door, I saw flames,” she said, prompting her daughter to call the police.

They were subsequently evacuated to the ground floor, where they had to wait six to seven hours before being allowed to return home that evening.

While making her way down, Karthiyayini said she heard “several explosions”.

Karthiyayini added that the electricity was still out when she returned home, and was only restored about half an hour later.

## About 25 people evacuated: SCDF

In response to Stomp’s queries, SCDF said the fire involved items placed outside a unit on the 10th floor and was extinguished using a water jet.

Two people were rescued from one of the affected units, with one conveyed to Singapore General Hospital (SGH) for smoke inhalation. Another resident from a neighbouring unit was also taken to SGH for the same reason.

In total, about 25 people were evacuated by the police and SCDF as a precautionary measure.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

## Eric Chua visits scene and residents

Eric Chua, who is MP for Queenstown SMC, visited the scene and spoke with residents on the day of the fire.

![fire Queenstown flat fallen candle](https://cassette.sphdigital.com.sg/image/stomp/c117504a77ca435afe737b42b6703699023abe34ebf6a610de5cf09304f1fee8)
*Eric Chua visited the scene and spoke with residents.*

In a Facebook post on Oct 19, Chua, who is also Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Law and Social and Family Development, wrote that he worked around his meetings to spend time with affected residents and responders.

“I spent time listening to their concerns and sharing the latest updates I had, while our SCDF officers worked to make the area safe,” Chua said.

He also expressed concern for the two residents taken to hospital and wished them a full and speedy recovery.