Latest news with #EastCoastParkway
Malay Mail
15 hours ago
- Automotive
- Malay Mail
Singapore minister apologises for Tanjong Katong sinkhole, says road may stay shut for days
SINGAPORE, July 30 — Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu has apologised for the sinkhole that formed on Tanjong Katong Road South, calling it a 'serious incident' that 'should not have happened.' 'On behalf of the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment and PUB, I would like to extend my sincere apology to the injured driver for the injury suffered as well as for going through a harrowing experience,' she told reporters at the site on Monday evening, as reported by The Straits Times. The sinkhole, which opened up near a PUB sewer-laying construction site on July 26, swallowed a car and injured its driver, who was later hospitalised with muscular pain. Fu said she understood the driver was still recovering in hospital. She also apologised to residents, motorists and commuters affected by the road closure, and said her ministry has convened an internal panel to investigate the incident — a process expected to take several months. The panel will comprise individuals with a range of expertise and will also make recommendations to prevent future occurrences. Asked if a burst water pipe nearby on July 25 might be linked to the sinkhole, she said, 'all the available evidence will be studied and the findings reported.' While refilling works have been completed, part of the road between Mountbatten Road and the East Coast Parkway remains closed. Fu said it may stay shut 'perhaps for a few more days' as ground safety assessments are still ongoing. 'We are going through a very thorough and rigorous safety assessment, and until we're satisfied with that, we will not open the road,' she added. PUB earlier said that a concrete caisson ring at the nearby worksite had failed around the same time the sinkhole formed at about 5.50pm. The cause of the failure remains unclear. On July 28, the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) said it would carry out an independent investigation, which may also take several months. Fu said PUB would cooperate fully and that having both investigations would allow the authorities to 'determine the causes of the incident in a more thorough and systematic manner.' She acknowledged that some residents had complained about noise during the recovery works but said that pausing work at night would delay efforts to stabilise the area. 'I hope that the residents will also understand that we want to do this quickly, to stabilise the situation, so that public safety is protected to its maximum,' she said. Fu also visited the site and thanked workers Pitchai Udaiyappan Subbiah and Ganesan Veerasekar, who had helped rescue the driver from the vehicle after the collapse.
Malay Mail
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Malay Mail
Tanjong Katong sinkhole: Singapore's national water agency orders review of similar sewer works across city-state
SINGAPORE, July 28 — Singapore's national water agency PUB said yesterday it will call for a time-out to review the safety of ongoing sewer works similar to those near the sinkhole that opened up along Tanjong Katong Road on Saturday. According to Channel News Asia, the sinkhole, about two to three metres deep and as wide as two lanes, appeared adjacent to an active PUB worksite involving the construction of a 16-metre-deep shaft linking three sewer lines. PUB said a 'concrete component in the shaft failed at around 5.50pm', around the same time a car plunged into the road after the collapse. The agency identified the failed part as a caisson ring, describing it as 'a watertight retaining structure that allows water to be pumped out, keeping the work area dry.' 'The shaft has been backfilled to stabilise the surrounding ground,' it said. As a precaution, PUB said, 'The agency will call for a time-out to review and ensure the safety of similar sewer construction works across Singapore.' The sinkhole was later filled with liquefied stabilised soil, with reinstatement works expected to begin after the area is fully stabilised. The Land Transport Authority said Tanjong Katong Road South, between Mountbatten Road and the East Coast Parkway (ECP), will remain closed until further notice. Bus services 36 and 48 have been diverted. PUB said the driver who fell into the sinkhole managed to climb out of her vehicle and was rescued by construction workers within five minutes. She was taken conscious to Raffles Hospital. PUB noted: 'The damage to the water pipes had contributed to the filling of water in the sinkhole. This ceased once the mains were shut off.' The agency said it began pumping water out of the sinkhole at 9.45am Sunday and completed the task by 1.20pm. The car was retrieved at 2pm the same day. PUB also reported water supply disruptions affecting 18 households in the area from around 6pm Saturday. 'Preliminary findings suggest that the water mains may have been damaged as a result of ground movement associated with the sinkhole,' it said. Water supply was fully restored by 2.30am on Sunday after the affected pipes were isolated. PUB said it is working closely with the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) and the LTA on repair works and investigations into the incident. The agency also confirmed a ground-penetrating radar scan was conducted and is still being analysed. In its latest update yesterday morning, PUB added: 'Engineers from BCA have checked and affirmed that nearby structures, including One Amber condominium and the landed homes across the road, are not affected by the incident.' Motorists and commuters have been advised to plan ahead and expect delays during weekday peak hours.
CNA
3 days ago
- Automotive
- CNA
Tanjong Katong sinkhole: PUB to call for safety time-out to review sewer works similar to incident site
SINGAPORE: The site where a sinkhole appeared in Tanjong Katong on Saturday (Jul 26) is adjacent to an active PUB worksite involving the construction of a 16m-deep shaft connecting three existing sewer lines, the national water agency said on Sunday. It added that the shaft has been backfilled to stabilise the surrounding ground, and as a precautionary measure, PUB will call for a time-out to review and ensure the safety of similar sewer construction works across Singapore. Giving an update on Saturday's incident late on Sunday, PUB said that the sinkhole has been filled with liquefied stabilised soil to further stabilise the area, after which road reinstatement works will commence. PUB also provided a sequence of the events on Saturday. It said that at around 5.50pm, a caisson ring in the shaft under construction at the PUB worksite "was observed to have failed". "It is still not clear what contributed to this failure." At around the same time, a sinkhole formed on the adjacent Tanjong Katong Road South, causing a vehicle to fall in. The female driver was rescued by workers and taken conscious to Raffles Hospital. Tanjong Katong Road South between Mountbatten Road and East Coast Parkway (ECP) will be closed until further notice for repairs, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) said on Sunday. Bus services 36 and 48 have been diverted. The sinkhole is about 2m to 3m deep and as wide as two lanes of the road. PUB began pumping water out of the sinkhole from 9:45am, and this was completed by 1:20pm. The vehicle that had fallen into the sinkhole was retrieved at 2:00pm. PUB said it is working closely with Building and Construction Authority (BCA) and Land Transport Authority (LTA) closely to oversee the repair efforts and to investigate what contributed to the sinkhole incident. It added that it is still analysing the results of a ground-penetrating radar (GPR) scan that was carried out to assess the surrounding area. "Engineers from BCA have checked and affirmed that nearby structures, including One Amber condominium and the landed homes across the road, are not affected by the incident," said PUB.
Malay Mail
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Malay Mail
Car lifted from sinkhole in Singapore's Tanjong Katong, road remains closed for repairs
SINGAPORE, July 27 — A car that fell into a sinkhole along Tanjong Katong Road South in Singapore was lifted out this afternoon, a day after the dramatic incident sparked road closures and water supply disruptions in the area. According to Channel News Asia, a crane was used to hoist the blue car out of the sinkhole before it was lowered back onto the road. The car had a smashed windscreen and a dented roof. Workers later covered it with a light blue sheet. The sinkhole appeared along Tanjong Katong Road South yesterday, causing the vehicle to plunge in. The female driver was rescued by workers and taken conscious to Raffles Hospital. In a Facebook update, Singapore's national water agency PUB said the driver was able to walk and was undergoing further medical checks. The agency added that it was in touch with her to provide 'the necessary support'. PUB also acknowledged the swift response of the workers who pulled the woman from the sinkhole, having initially attributed her rescue to the Singapore Civil Defence Force. Repairs are still ongoing at the site. Singapore's Land Transport Authority (LTA) said the affected stretch between Mountbatten Road and East Coast Parkway (ECP) remains closed until further notice. Bus services have also been diverted.
CNA
4 days ago
- Automotive
- CNA
Car lifted out from Tanjong Katong sinkhole
SINGAPORE: A car that fell into a sinkhole along Tanjong Katong Road South was lifted out on Sunday (Jul 27) afternoon. A crane was used to lift the blue car out of the hole before it was lowered back onto the road. Its windscreen was smashed, with the roof dented in. Workers then used a light blue sheet to cover the car. Member of Parliament Goh Pei Ming said earlier on Sunday that the ground at the sinkhole is stable and that authorities were working to remove the water before extricating the car. In an update on Facebook, PUB said that the driver was able to walk and was undergoing further check-ups. The agency said it was in touch with her to provide 'the necessary support'. It also acknowledged the quick actions by the workers who pulled the woman out of the sinkhole. It had earlier attributed her rescue to the Singapore Civil Defence Force. The sinkhole appeared along Tanjong Katong Road South on Saturday, causing a vehicle to fall into the water-filled hole. The female driver was rescued by workers and taken conscious to Raffles Hospital. Tanjong Katong Road South between Mountbatten Road and East Coast Parkway (ECP) will be closed until further notice for repairs, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) said on Sunday morning. Bus services 36 and 48 have been diverted. Mr Goh, who is also Minister of State for Home Affairs, said earlier that once water levels had gone down, the authorities would assess whether it was safe to remove the vehicle. 'They understand and they also want to make sure that they are able to repair the road quickly and to restore normalcy to this area,' he said, especially for residents who need to commute to work on Monday. WATER SUPPLY In a Facebook post on Sunday, MP Gho Sze Kee updated that water pressure and supply to residents in nearby affected areas were fully restored at 2.30am. Some residents had experienced disruptions to their water supply following the sinkhole. Tanjong Katong Road South lies at the boundary between Mountbatten Single Member Constituency, where Ms Gho is the MP, and Mr Goh's ward in Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC. Ms Gho said: 'As of now, with the works still going on round the clock, we do not as yet have clarity on the timeline to fully return to normalcy.' PUB said in a second statement on Sunday morning that the water supply was disrupted for more than four hours after the incident. The agency received feedback from about 18 households in the area.
