Many thousand dollars worth of ice-cream in private houses, residences and restaurants melted and hawker-stands had to rely on oil-lamps and candles. In restaurants throughout the city, most people ignored the power failure and went on dining and/or dancing by candlelight, with many men stripping off coats and bowties because of the heat from cut and downed air-conditioning (AC) and fans. In the Victoria Memorial Hall, the Singapore Repertory Company was performing when the power outage occurred, which led to a car being driven into the entrance of the hall with its headlights reflecting on-to a large mirror directed to the stage in front.