Woman narrowly escapes injury after toilet ceiling collapses in 58-year-old Queenstown flat
Seah Jun De
The Straits Times
June 25, 2025
A woman narrowly avoided injury last Sunday when a chunk of concrete fell from the toilet ceiling in her flat at Block 81 Commonwealth Close in Queenstown.
After reading a report about spalling concrete last week, Ms Ho Ai Ling, 52, began keeping a close watch on a crack in her toilet ceiling and avoided standing directly beneath while showering.
She told Lianhe Zaobao that she escaped injury as she was standing close to the wall when the concrete collapsed.
"I read a report on Saturday about a home in Yishun where the ceiling collapsed and the man had to get more than 10 stitches on his head. I reminded myself and my roommates to be careful, and it saved my life the next day."
The livestreamer and actress added that she was fortunate the ceiling fan was off, as falling debris could have struck the blades and caused a more serious incident.
The flat was built in 1967 and is 58 years old.
Since moving in 14 years ago, she has repeatedly dealt with cracks and peeling paint on the toilet ceiling, she said.
On June 18, she called the Housing Development Board (HDB) after discovering that the toilet ceiling had bulged again.
The ceiling had clear signs of damage before part of it collapsed. PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO
However, before an inspection could take place, the ceiling collapsed.
Ms Ho said that HDB had helped to repair the toilet ceiling in 2012, and she has repaired it herself many times since then.
She also installed a ceiling fan to keep the toilet dry, but it did not have the intended effect.
"I saw that the bulging was serious and I couldn't fix it myself anymore, so I contacted HDB."
During a call with HDB last week, the agency agreed to bear half of her repair costs under the Goodwill Repair Assistance Scheme, said Ms Ho.
"After the concrete collapsed, the authorities said they would come back on July 3 to see if there were any other parts of the ceiling that needed repair too."
Chairman of the Institute of Engineers Singapore (IES) civil and structural technical committee David Ng, told the Chinese daily that such repairs are complex and should be handled by professionals.
He added that the homeowner's repair work may provide temporary relief, but if the real cause of the peeling is not found, the problem may persist.
Residents can regularly check the ceiling surface for signs of damage, and take waterproofing measures such as applying waterproof paint or sealants.
Keeping the toilet well-ventilated can also help prevent damage to the ceiling, he added.
According to the HDB website, homeowners are responsible for preventing and repairing cement spalling in their homes. However, if the affected area is large, a contractor should be hired to repair it as soon as possible.
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