A Singaporean woman sustained a nasty burn on her hand after spilling hot soup from her mala tang (麻辣烫) on herself.

It led to a large blister forming on her left hand before she visited the emergency room and had it drained.

Bowl filled to the brim with piping hot soup

Speaking to Mothership, the woman (whom we will refer to as "Z") said that she patronised a mala tang chain's outlet in Ang Mo Kio on Mar. 26, 2024.

When her bowl of mala tang was ready, Z observed that the bowl was "filled to the brim and the staff had not placed it on the tray".

Hence, when she picked up the bowl, some soup spilled on her hand and scalded her.

Z took issue with the lack of service provided by the outlet's staff

She claimed that three staff members present at the shop "pretended not to notice". Only one elderly staff member allegedly tended to her by letting Z run water from the kitchen sink over the burned area.

And that, Z claimed, was only after she initiated the request.

"I had to ask and it was not automatically offered," she said.

She also claimed that she was not offered a first-aid kit.

The elderly staff member then helped Z carry the bowl to her table.

Her hand appeared to be red, and blisters started forming the next day.

Z visited a clinic on Mar. 27.

The doctor said that the blisters were indicative of at least second-degree burns.

The next day (Mar. 28), Z visited the emergency department at Tan Tock Seng Hospital as one blister on the back of her hand had  grown to about three centimetres in length.

Visited hospital and filed police report

At the emergency department, the woman was diagnosed with a superficial partial thick burn on the back of her hand.

The doctor then drained the 3cm blister and instructed Z to replace the dressing twice a week until her blister heals.

On Mar. 29, Z lodged a police report against the restaurant.

She told Mothership that she is currently in talks with the parent company of the chain.

She is seeking compensation of S$240.91, which covers the cost of her meal, the trip to the clinic, and the visit to the emergency department.

"I am lucky that I am healthy and not immunocompromised or with health conditions, because a burn this bad could've been much worse," the woman said.

"I would have liked the mala to burn my insides and not my outsides."

In response to queries by Mothership, the parent company said that they are investigating the matter.

They said that they received an email from the customer after 9pm on Mar. 26 and have been in constant communication with her since then.

They are also finding out from the customer how they may provide assistance and comfort.

"As a self-service food outlet serving freshly cooked comfort food such as soups, we have adhered to necessary safety precautions.  Food-handling safety is a joint effort between us and the consumer, and we strive to always do better."

Top photos via Mothership reader.