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Netizens praise migrant workers who rescued driver after sinkhole incident at Tanjong Katong Road South

Netizens praise migrant workers who rescued driver after sinkhole incident at Tanjong Katong Road South

SINGAPORE: A vehicle fell into a large sinkhole that formed along Tanjong Katong Road South on 26 July 2025 at around 5pm, resulting in its female driver being taken to hospital.
The incident has sparked widespread praise for migrant workers who were captured on video rescuing the woman from the flooded sinkhole.
Photos and videos quickly spread across social media platforms, showing the car partially submerged in the water-filled sinkhole next to an active worksite.
In one TikTok video, several migrant workers from a nearby site can be seen rushing to the scene without hesitation.
According to an earlier Facebook post by PUB, Singapore's national water agency, the sinkhole emerged at the junction of Tanjong Katong Road and Mountbatten Road, affecting two lanes. The incident occurred next to an existing PUB worksite.
PUB initially stated that the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) had carried out the rescue and conveyed the driver, who was conscious, to Raffles Hospital.
However, netizens were quick to point out that the video evidence showed the migrant workers were the first to act.
Many comments highlighted the workers' bravery in approaching the unstable, waterlogged sinkhole to pull the driver to safety before official responders arrived.
One comment read, 'Let's give credit where it's due. Migrant workers are generally invisible but in moments of bravery and selfless action, they should be acknowledged.'
On 27 July 2025, PUB updated its statement, acknowledging and appreciating the swift actions of the workers on site who rescued the driver.
PUB confirmed it is in touch with the driver to provide necessary support.
PUB also said recovery works at the site are ongoing and updates will be provided when ready.
Others noted the high risk involved, describing the sinkhole as a torrent of water and shifting soil.
Many commenters stressed that the workers' daily exposure to construction dangers may have prepared them for this quick-thinking response.
PUB also stated that the Police, SCDF, and the Land Transport Authority (LTA) were at the scene to manage the situation.
Both directions of the affected road have been closed to traffic, with motorists advised to use alternative routes such as Mountbatten Road and East Coast Parkway (ECP).
Early on 27 July 2025, LTA confirmed via Facebook that Tanjong Katong Road South would remain closed for repairs until further notice. Bus services along the stretch have also been diverted to ensure safety.
Goh Pei Ming, Member of Parliament for Marine Parade–Braddell Heights GRC, acknowledged that the rescue was thanks to the quick actions of the workers on site.
He added that the driver was conveyed conscious to hospital and that the safety of the area is now a priority.
Nearby residents have raised concerns about the integrity of their homes and surrounding roads.
In response, the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) reported that its engineers carried out preliminary checks on One Amber condominium and the landed houses across the road.
The checks confirmed that these buildings were not affected, though stabilisation works have begun as a precaution.
The sinkhole incident has drawn significant attention to the unseen contributions of migrant workers, whose swift actions may have prevented a greater tragedy.
The area remains under close monitoring by PUB, LTA, and BCA as repair and safety works continue.
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CNA Explains: What could have caused the Tanjong Katong Road sinkhole?
CNA Explains: What could have caused the Tanjong Katong Road sinkhole?

CNA

time4 hours ago

  • CNA

CNA Explains: What could have caused the Tanjong Katong Road sinkhole?

SINGAPORE: A road closure as well as a stop-work order at a PUB worksite are in place after a large sinkhole opened up along Tanjong Katong Road South on Saturday (Jul 26) evening. A car fell into the sinkhole, and the female driver was rescued by workers and taken conscious to Raffles Hospital. The sinkhole also caused temporary water supply disruptions to residents nearby on Saturday. The incident has sparked safety concerns among residents nearby. In response, the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) said on Monday its engineers have been conducting round-the-clock site monitoring to ensure that surrounding buildings, roads and infrastructure remain structurally safe. The authority also said it is commencing an independent investigation, now that the ground situation has been stabilised. But this could 'take several months' given the complexity of the incident. What's the latest from authorities? The site where the sinkhole appeared is adjacent to an active PUB worksite involving the construction of a 16m-deep shaft to connect three existing sewer lines. A concrete component in the shaft 'failed' at around 5.50pm on Saturday, according to the national water agency. Around the same time, a sinkhole formed on the adjacent road. PUB said it was still not clear what contributed to the breakdown of the component, known as a caisson ring. As a precautionary measure, PUB said it will call for a time-out to review and ensure the safety of similar sewer construction works across Singapore. What are these shafts and caissons? Such shafts are typically temporary and required for the construction of sewage manholes, which form a key part of the country's 206km-long deep tunnel sewerage system and serving as access points for the maintenance of underground sewer lines. The caisson – and in this case referred to as a ring as it is circular in shape – is a concrete wall that is cast in stages after the excavation of the shaft to keep out water and soil, said Mr David Ng, chairman of the civil and structural engineering technical committee at the Institution of Engineers Singapore (IES). Intense study of the land prior to construction is required to determine the design of the caisson ring, and if additional land protection measures may be needed. What could have led to the sinkhole? Possible reasons for a defective caisson ring may include subpar workmanship, such as how the structure was not built according to initial design, and an imbalance in 'loading conditions'. 'Imagine the ring is circular. If you apply the same pressure all around it, it will be stable … But if you take away pressure on one side, like soil on one side, that's a different loading condition,' said Mr Ng. 'As the caisson ring 'failure' occurred around the same time as the sinkhole, it may be that there is a void nearby that is creating an unbalanced loading condition on the caisson ring, therefore the caisson ring 'failed'.' On how such an underground void could have been formed, Mr Ng said it was too early to know for sure — but reasons could include soil movement triggered by excavation works or leaking underground pipes. The latter could wash away soil over time, resulting in empty spaces underground. 'If this pipe ends up being suspended without soil underneath it, its joints may give way eventually and a pipe burst can wash away even more soil,' said Mr Ng, who is also executive director of One Smart Engineering. Residents' accounts and passer-by footage suggested a burst water pipe in the area, the night before the sinkhole appeared. But Associate Professor Wu Wei from the Nanyang Technological University said the erosion of soil underground 'does not happen overnight'. Underground voids 'take time to be formed' as the surrounding soil is washed away over time and resulting in larger cavities, he said. Have there been other sinkholes in Singapore? While uncommon, sinkholes do occur occasionally in Singapore and are often due to construction activities, like underground tunnelling or excavation works, and underground pipe leaks, said Mr Ng. But he stressed that Singapore's natural soil and geology are not particularly susceptible to sinkholes, as they do not have the characteristics of soluble rocks like limestone. Past occurrences include an incident in 2022, when a sinkhole and some cracks were observed on a slip road at Farrer Road where tunnelling works were ongoing. In 2014, a section of Upper Changi Road East caved in, causing a tipper truck to collapse. This happened near a construction site for the Downtown train line. What has been done to mitigate them? The BCA has said that measures are in place to manage the risk of sinkhole occurrences during large-scale underground tunnelling or excavation works. For instance, it requires a qualified person who is a professional engineer to conduct a thorough site investigation and recommend prevention measures before such works start. Instruments to monitor ground and building movements must be installed throughout the construction process, alongside additional safety measures, such as deploying a 24-hour ground surface watchman to monitor any signs of excessive ground settlement, where necessary. During tunnelling, the volume of soil removed must be monitored continuously to prevent over-excavation, and key tunnelling operations are closely tracked to prevent soil collapse, the BCA has said. Among other rules, a stop-work order will be issued if a sinkhole forms during construction. In this case, BCA said after being alerted to the incident, construction works on site were halted and a stop-work order has been issued to require the builder and supervising qualified person to implement safety measures. These included cordoning off the affected area, conducting inspections of nearby buildings, backfilling the adjacent shaft, and performing geophysical surveys to detect any underground voids. What else is being done now? In an update late on Monday, PUB said it is conducting rigorous tests and scans, such as a ground-penetrating radar scan which uses radio waves to assess the subsurface layers, to detect underground cavities and verify ground stability. Recovery works along Tanjong Katong Road South are also 'progressing steadily', the agency said. The sinkhole, for example, has been filled with liquefied stabilised soil to further stabilise the area. This is a type of 'liquefied cement mixed with some soil' and is the go-to material in such instances as it is strong. While dense, it is still flowable, meaning that it could 'flow and backfill all possible voids underground', said Mr Ng. Moving forward, the two experts CNA spoke with said more information will need to be released by the authorities, including details of the failure of the caisson ring, as well as whether a burst water pipe which reportedly occurred the night before was connected to the sinkhole's occurrence. Details of the latter, such as the type and extent of the repair works, is a key missing piece of information at the moment, Mr Ng said. 'Maybe there are other factors causing continued leakage after the repair, and that continued to wash away the soil underground. So what exactly was done for the repair and what was observed after the repair until the sinkhole was formed and was anything done? 'This is the missing gap at the moment, and when we have more information on that then can we understand more about how the sinkhole was formed,' he told CNA.

Sewage shaft failure linked to sinkhole; PUB calling safety time-out on similar works islandwide
Sewage shaft failure linked to sinkhole; PUB calling safety time-out on similar works islandwide

Straits Times

time7 hours ago

  • Straits Times

Sewage shaft failure linked to sinkhole; PUB calling safety time-out on similar works islandwide

Find out what's new on ST website and app. The sinkhole has been filled with liquefied stabilised soil to further stabilise the area, and works to reinstate the road will start after. SINGAPORE - A concrete structure in a shaft being built at a PUB worksite along Tanjong Katong Road South failed at around 5.50pm on July 26, said PUB. At around the same time, a sinkhole formed on the road next to the site, swallowing a black car. The driver managed to get out of the vehicle on her own and was rescued by construction workers. PUB said the works at the site next to the sinkhole that formed involved the construction of a 16m-deep shaft to connect three existing sewer lines. It is still not clear what contributed to the failure of the caisson ring, the national water agency added in a statement issued on the night of July 27. As a precautionary measure, PUB will be calling a safety time-out to review and ensure the safety of similar sewer construction works across Singapore. The shaft has been backfilled to stabilise the surrounding ground, PUB said. A ground-penetrating radar (GPR) scan and analysis are still being carried out to assess the surrounding area, the agency said. PUB said it is working closely with the Land Transport Authority and Building and Construction Authority on repair works and to investigate what caused the sinkhole incident. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Asia Thailand, Cambodia agree to 'immediate and unconditional ceasefire' to de-escalate border row Singapore Tanjong Katong sinkhole backfilled; road to be repaved after PUB tests Singapore Ong Beng Seng set to plead guilty on Aug 4 in case linked to ex-transport minister Iswaran Asia Gunman kills 5 security guards near Bangkok's Chatuchak market before taking own life Singapore COE quota up 2.6% to 18,701 for August to October Business Resilient economy versus uncertain outlook splits views on Singapore's monetary policy Singapore HPB looking for vaping, smoking counselling services for up to 175 secondary school students Singapore Jail for former pre-school teacher who tripped toddler repeatedly, causing child to bleed from nose Workers began pumping water out of the sinkhole from 9.45am on July 27, and this was completed by 1.20pm, PUB said. The black car was hoisted out of the sinkhole at around 2pm. The sinkhole has been filled with liquefied stabilised soil to further stabilise the area, and works to reinstate the road will start after, PUB added. The stretch of Tanjong Katong Road South between Mountbatten Road and East Coast Parkway will remain closed to facilitate ongoing repair works. 'Motorists and commuters are advised to plan their routes in advance and expect possible delays during the weekday peak periods,' said PUB. The agency apologised for the inconvenience caused, and said the authorities will provide further updates on the progress of works and when the affected road can be reopened. Around 10 minutes after the sinkhole formed on July 26, 18 households had their water supply disrupted. PUB said preliminary findings suggest that water mains may have been damaged as a result of ground movement linked to the sinkhole. The affected pipes were isolated, and water supply was fully restored by 2.30am on July 27, PUB said. It added that the damaged water pipes had led to water filling up the sinkhole. Videos of the incident showed water gushing into the cavity, completely submerging the car. This stopped once the water mains were shut off, said PUB. Correction note: An earlier version of this story said ground-penetrating radar scan was carried out, while the authorities are analysing its results. PUB has clarified that the scan is still being carried out to assess the surrounding area.

Tanjong Katong sinkhole backfilled; road to be repaved after PUB tests
Tanjong Katong sinkhole backfilled; road to be repaved after PUB tests

Straits Times

time7 hours ago

  • Straits Times

Tanjong Katong sinkhole backfilled; road to be repaved after PUB tests

Find out what's new on ST website and app. SINGAPORE – The sinkhole in Tanjong Katong Road South has been backfilled, and national water agency PUB will conduct tests before the caved-in road is repaved. Giving this update in a Facebook post on July 28, Mr Goh Pei Ming, an MP for Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC, said PUB 's tests will include drilling probes, which are up to 20m deep, to check that there are no air pockets in the soil. These come on top of radar scans to assess ground conditions. A section of Tanjong Katong Road South collapsed on the evening of July 26, swallowing a car and its driver. The driver was rescued and sent to Raffles Hospital for observation. She had experienced muscular pain. The sinkhole was located near a PUB construction site, which involved sewer laying works. The road has since been closed, with traffic and bus services diverted. The tests and analysis will take some time, said Mr Goh, who is also Minister of State for Home Affairs as well as Social and Family Development. 'I understand residents are keen to know when the road can be reopened. I think it is best we give the agencies the time to be doubly sure the road is safe before we reopen,' he added. In a statement later in the day, the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) said it is starting an independent investigation into the incident under the Building Control Act. The probe will examine the circumstances leading to the sinkhole's formation, identify the causes, and act against any non-compliance under the Building Control Act and Regulations. 'Given the complexity of the incident, the investigations could take several months to complete. It will include detailed geotechnical analysis and other validation tests by BCA and its appointed consultants,' the authority added. Mr Goh said traffic was smooth when he visited the site on the morning of July 28, noting that the Land Transport Authority had put out messages to motorists, as well as worked with the Ministry of Education to notify parents of road diversions. Tanjong Katong Road South is on the boundary of Mountbatten constituency and Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC. PUB said on July 27 that the works at the site next to the sinkhole involved the construction of a 16m-deep shaft to connect three existing sewer lines, and a structure in the shaft had failed at about 5.50pm on July 26 – around the same time the sinkhole formed. It is still unclear what contributed to the failure of the caisson ring, a concrete structure in the shaft. A caisson ring is a watertight concrete cylinder that is sunk underground to form a stable foundation for other structures. The Straits Times has asked PUB for more information, including the nature of the failure, the ground monitoring regime in place before the incident, as well as whether a reported burst water pipe nearby on July 25 was connected to the sinkhole occurring the next evening. Editor's note: An earlier version of this report quoted MP Goh Pei Ming saying that LTA will conduct tests before the road is repaved. Mr Goh has since updated his Facebook post to say PUB is carrying out the tests.

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