Coffee shop fires remain 'largely constant' at between 15 to 19 cases annually: Shanmugam

The number of fires at coffee shops has remained largely constant between 2021 and 2025, with about 15 to 19 cases recorded annually, said Minister for Home Affairs K Shanmugam on Tuesday (July 7).

Shanmugam, who is also Coordinating Minister for National Security, was responding to a parliamentary question from Workers' Party (WP) MP Sylvia Lim (Aljunied GRC), who asked if coffee shop fires at Housing and Development Board (HDB) blocks are an area of increasing concern.

She also asked if fire standards at coffee shops are monitored by the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF).

In his written reply, Shanmugam stated that food and beverage establishments, including coffee shops, are subject to a suite of requirements under the Fire Code.

These include measures to reduce the risk of a fire from cooking-related activities, and to ensure the safety of people in the coffee shop during a fire, he explained.

The SCDF also carries out enforcement checks, in the form of both scheduled visits and unannounced inspections based on feedback, to ensure compliance.

In addition, annual fire safety checks are conducted at coffee shops by HDB.

Turning to the incidences of such fires, Shanmugam said the 15 to 19 cases annually between 2021 and 2025 make up about 1 per cent of all fires each year.

"Nonetheless, SCDF will continue to monitor fire trends involving HDB coffee shops and work with related agencies such as HDB and NEA to take the appropriate intervention measures if required," he added.

Basic fire safety training as a requirement

Separately, the five-term WP MP also asked Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu if stallholders selling cooked food should be required to undergo basic fire safety training before being licensed.

In her written reply, Fu said the National Environment Agency (NEA) partners SCDF and the National Fire and Emergency Preparedness Council to regularly engage and educate stall operators in hawker centres, including cooked food stallholders.

During these engagements, stall operators and stallholders are refreshed on how to prevent and respond to fires.

Premise owners or occupiers in breach of fire safety requirements, such as the non-maintenance of kitchen exhaust ducts, may be fined up to $10,000 and/or jailed up to six months.

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