A woman who became angry after waiting outside a former colleague\u2019s home for an hour without getting an answer borrowed a lighter from a stranger and set incense paper alight outside the unit.<\/p>\n
She then kicked over a wooden chair, causing it to fall onto the burning paper.<\/p>\n
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 <\/strong>Nov 2.<\/p>\n Court documents revealed that Tong visited her former colleague\u2019s home along Bukit Batok Street 21 at about 9.30pm on Jan 29.<\/p>\n Tong was unemployed at the time.<\/p>\n When she visited her former colleague<\/a>, the latter was overseas, and only her husband and daughter were at home.<\/p>\n After knocking on the door and receiving no response, Tong waited outside the flat for about an hour.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n Believing that her former colleague was deliberately avoiding her, Tong decided to get her attention.<\/p>\n 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\u2019s gate. She also borrowed a lighter from a stranger.<\/p>\n Shortly before 11.03pm, Tong used the lighter to set the incense paper<\/a> 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.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n The former colleague\u2019s husband eventually noticed the flames and smoke outside the unit after looking through the peephole of the door. He immediately called the police.<\/p>\n At about 11.11pm, police officers arrived and found that two neighbours, who had smelled the smoke, had already helped extinguish the fire.<\/p>\n Tong was seated on a stool near the unit at the time.<\/p>\n When questioned by the police, she admitted to setting the cardboard box on fire to get her former colleague\u2019s attention.<\/p>\n The incident damaged a wooden stool worth $25.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n PHOTO: ATTORNEY-GENERAL\u2019S CHAMBERS<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n Tong was arrested and charged in court the following day. She was released on bail after paying the bail sum on Feb 10.<\/p>\n 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\u2019s husband.<\/p>\n According to Shin Min Daily News<\/a>, 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.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n The prosecution pointed out that the incident took place in a residential area and posed a significant potential safety risk \u2014 the fire could have spread to the unit\u2019s wooden door and shoe rack, potentially endangering residents.<\/p>\n However, taking into account Tong\u2019s early guilty plea, lack of previous convictions, and attempts to offer compensation, the prosecution sought a fine of between $3,000 and $4,000.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n She was ultimately fined $3,000.<\/p>\n Have something to say? Join in!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Explore more on these topics<\/p>\n<\/div>\n See something interesting? Contribute<\/a> your story to us.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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<\/div>\n<\/div>\nSets fire to incense paper<\/h2>\n
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<\/a><\/div>\nWooden stool catches fire<\/h2>\n
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Offer to compensate and apologise rejected<\/h2>\n
Prosecution: Low property damage, but high safety risk<\/h2>\n
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