Complaints of smoke-filled air at People's Park Food Centre following reno

Some hawkers at People's Park Food Centre can't take the heat, quite literally.

According to Shin Min Daily News on Saturday (July 8), faulty kitchen exhaust hoods at over 10 stalls in the food centre have resulted in hot, smoke-filled air being trapped in the area.

This has led to complaints from hawker staff and diners alike.

The kitchen exhaust hoods have reportedly not been working properly for more than a week since the food centre's reopening.

The Chinese evening daily added that more than half of the stalls affected are those which require heavy cooking, such zi char and mala hot pot, and this has exacerbated the issue.

Working within the confines of their stalls have also led to some hawkers complaining that they "can't take it (the heat and smoke)", Shin Min Daily News reported.

The food centre had been closed for renovation from April 1 to June 30 this year and recently reopened on July 1.

But some hawkers complained to Shin Min Daily News that a portion of the exhaust hoods have not been working properly since the first day of reopening and have yet to be fixed.

One zi char stall employee told Shin Min that their stall had to close mid-way through the first day of operation due to the smoke and heat. Despite remaining closed for the next two days, the problem could not be fixed.

"No choice, the boss has to keep the business running. Workers like us also have to earn a living, so we had to bear with the high heat and smoke while cooking and take turns to go out for some air," said the employee.

When reporters visited the food centre during dinnertime on Friday, part of the dining area was smoke-filled with the choking smell of chilli in the air. Many diners could also be overheard complaining about the situation.

One hawker who spoke to a Shin Min Daily News reporter even brought out a thermometer which he placed close to a nearby zi char stall. The thermometer reading indicated that the temperature was "high" in the area.

"We don't use an open fire in our stall and it already feels this hot, not to mention for these chefs," said the 69-year-old who goes by the surname Jiang. 

A stall assistant, surnamed Ye, pointed out that the heat within their stall was extreme. Even four fans installed within the stall have not remedied the situation.

"I think it's over 40 degrees within the stall. We're perspiring profusely as we cook," said Ye, adding that they have to step out of the stall every 30 minutes for a breather.

Another hawker also shared that his skin had broken out in rashes as a result of the heat.

Diners eating at the food centre have also had to contend with the pungent cooking fumes.

One 67-year-old diner who was there with her family told Shin Min that this is the first time she's come to the food centre since it was renovated.

"I can't take it already, we are moving to the side where there's aircon," she said.

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Another patron echoed that the unpleasant dining environment was unexpected, especially following the renovation.

Chairman of the People's Park Traders Association, Chia Sai Im, 78, confirmed that she had received several complaints from hawkers.

She added that the entire renovation process is a big project and that cleaning the ventilation system is no simple task, Shin Min reported.

Chia explained that the main smoke extraction system has been cleaned, but that the exhaust hoods at the different stalls have to be cleaned individually.

However, as several of the stallholders had been overseas during the renovation process, the cleaning could not be carried out.

Believing the issue could be caused by a portion of the exhaust system being clogged, Chia said urgent steps have been taken and that technicians will be rectifying the situation within the next few days.

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