---
title: "Woman sets fire outside ex-colleague’s Bukit Batok flat after being ignored for an hour"
url: "/trending-now/woman-sets-fire-outside-ex-colleagues-bukit-batok-flat-after-being-ignored-hour"
published: "2026-11-03T10:48:59.000Z"
updated: "2026-11-03T11:00:25.000Z"
section: "Trending Now"
authors: ["Ethel Tseng"]
tags: ["Fire","colleague","incense","chair","Bukit Batok","TNP News"]
---

# Woman sets fire outside ex-colleague’s Bukit Batok flat after being ignored for an hour

*A woman who became angry after waiting outside a former colleague’s home for an hour without getting an answer borrowed a lighter from a stranger and set incense paper alight outside the unit.*

A woman who became angry after waiting outside a former colleague’s home for an hour without getting an answer borrowed a lighter from a stranger and set incense paper alight outside the unit.

She then kicked over a wooden chair, causing it to fall onto the burning paper.

The offender, Tong Huanling, a 34-year-old Chinese national, pleaded guilty to one charge of causing a fire. She was fined $3,000 on Nov 2.

Court documents revealed that Tong visited her former colleague’s home along Bukit Batok Street 21 at about 9.30pm on Jan 29.

Tong was unemployed at the time.

When she visited her former colleague, the latter was overseas, and only her husband and daughter were at home.

After knocking on the door and receiving no response, Tong waited outside the flat for about an hour.

She then noticed lights being switched on inside the unit and proceeded to knock on the door and ring the doorbell again, but there was still no response.

## Sets fire to incense paper

Believing that her former colleague was deliberately avoiding her, Tong decided to get her attention.

She retrieved a cardboard box containing incense paper from the void deck of the HDB block and placed it near the shoe rack beside the unit’s gate. She also borrowed a lighter from a stranger.

Shortly before 11.03pm, Tong used the lighter to set the incense paper in the box on fire. She even took a photo of the flames and sent it to her former colleague before knocking on the door again.

When she still did not receive a response, she became angry and kicked over a wooden stool outside the flat, causing it to fall onto the burning cardboard box.

The former colleague’s husband eventually noticed the flames and smoke outside the unit after looking through the peephole of the door. He immediately called the police.

## Wooden stool catches fire

At about 11.11pm, police officers arrived and found that two neighbours, who had smelled the smoke, had already helped extinguish the fire.

Tong was seated on a stool near the unit at the time.

When questioned by the police, she admitted to setting the cardboard box on fire to get her former colleague’s attention.

The incident damaged a wooden stool worth $25.

A photograph of the aftermath showed that the floor outside was charred, while ash was visible on the metal gate. The wooden stool was also badly burnt.

![woman sets fire outside ex-colleague’s bukit batok flat after being ignored](https://cassette.sphdigital.com.sg/image/stomp/f8dd79bdd3ebee11bce0798e63ca7e07855ef7e88ff9d27cba323c86f3406b19)

Tong was arrested and charged in court the following day. She was released on bail after paying the bail sum on Feb 10.

## Offer to compensate and apologise rejected

The court heard that Tong subsequently offered to compensate the victim and write an apology letter, but both offers were rejected by her former colleague’s husband.

According to Shin Min Daily News, the defence lawyer said during mitigation that Tong had sought help from a psychiatrist and was diagnosed with adjustment disorder. She is currently receiving treatment.

The lawyer added that Tong had made several attempts to compensate the victim and was sincere in wanting to apologise, but her offers were rejected.

## Prosecution: Low property damage, but high safety risk

The prosecution pointed out that the incident took place in a residential area and posed a significant potential safety risk — the fire could have spread to the unit’s wooden door and shoe rack, potentially endangering residents.

However, taking into account Tong’s early guilty plea, lack of previous convictions, and attempts to offer compensation, the prosecution sought a fine of between $3,000 and $4,000.

During sentencing on Nov 2, the judge said it was fortunate that the fire did not spread further, which could have resulted in more serious consequences.

She was ultimately fined $3,000.