A terrifying oil fire broke out suddenly at a fried food stall in Melaka, Malaysia, after rainwater leaked through a tarp onto hot cooking oil. The dramatic incident, captured on video during the busy Ramadan bazaar on March 12, shows flames engulfing the entire stall within seconds.

The viral TikTok video posted by Adicto Churros Melaka has shocked viewers across social media, amassing over 150,000 views. The 18-second clip shows an unsuspecting staff member speaking to the camera when flames suddenly explode around him before revealing a blazing wok behind him.

"We were just heating oil to fry churros when it happened," the unnamed stall owner told Malaysian media outlet WeirdKaya. Heavy rainfall caused water to pool on their stall's overhead tarp until it began leaking directly into their cooking oil.

"The water hit the hot oil and everything went up in flames instantly," explained the owner. "There was no time to save anything - it all burned so quickly." Follow-up footage showed the fire subsiding about 15 seconds later with no reported injuries.

The popular churros vendor was forced to close for the day but remains determined. "We've operated for years and this won't stop us," said the resilient owner. "We'll be back soon with more precautions against weather hazards."

This incident follows another recent kitchen fire case in Singapore where a woman suffered burns attempting to extinguish an oil fire with water - exactly what firefighters warn against.

The Singapore Civil Defence Force emphasizes proper fire safety: never leave cooking unattended and never use water on grease fires which can cause explosive flare-ups. Instead, smother flames immediately with a metal lid or wet cloth while turning off heat sources.

lim.kewei@asiaone.com