A popular nasi lemak stall at Changi Village will not be open for at least a week, after it caught fire early yesterday morning.

Mizzy Corner Nasi Lemak will be closed for "one to two weeks" for repair works, the owner's son, Mr Iskandar Abu Nazir, told The Straits Times. "We want to make sure everything is properly done up before we reopen for business."

The fire occurred when an employee, who was alone, was preparing and cooking the chilli sauce.

The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) was alerted to the fire at about 5.35am and it sent a fire engine.

It said the fire involved the contents of a kitchen stove and the exhaust ducting. The blaze was put out using a dry-powder extinguisher, before the SCDF arrived.

There were no reported injuries, the SCDF said.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

The chilli preparation for the Malay-style coconut rice, done at a relatively low cooking temperature, is a normal routine, said Mr Iskandar, who helps out at the stall six days a week.

The 26-year-old was informed of the fire shortly after it was put out.

The fire damaged the kitchen stove as well as cooking ware such as pots and frying pans.

Mr Iskandar said the employee, who is in his 30s and has been working at the stall for at least 10 years, was not injured.

He has yet to calculate the cost of the damage, but said it could have been worse if not for the many people in the vicinity who came forward to help put out the fire.

A short video of the incident circulated online yesterday, showing the fire being put out.

Mr Iskandar said: "We have to try and look at the situation in a positive light. We take it as a lesson learnt, maybe to be more vigilant in future.

"The fire could have been worse and spread to the whole hawker centre."