Let’s face it: Singapore’s so safe and efficient that when something like this happens, it becomes newsworthy.
After all, how often do you come across this?
Yeah, there’s a new “flood” this afternoon (10 January 2020), and it didn’t occur due to a rain.
Water Flooded Hougang HDB Stairs & Coffeeshop After Pipe Dislodged During Cleaning
This afternoon, at about 2:40pm, water gushed down from the stairs of Blk 644 at Hougang Ave 8.
According to CNA, the water was from the water tank.
Lest you’re not aware, there are water tanks at the rooftop of every building to supply clean water to the taps in the premises.
An Ang Mo Kio Town Council spokesperson said, “We were conducting water tank washing at that point. However, towards the final moments before completion, as the water was flowing out, the pipe dislodged.”
The spokesperson added, “Upon discovery of the gushing water, our contractors turned off the valve.”
Eyewitnesses said that the flood was “loud” and “unexpected”.
Well, ar bo then. I won’t be surprised if ten cats gush down the stairs, but water? Newsworthy.
Affected a Coffeeshop at the First Floor
Unfortunately, a coffeeshop is located at the first level (just beside the flight of stairs, in fact) so it affected the patrons there.
But other than minor inconvenience, there was no danger whatsoever. The entire incident happened for about twenty minutes.
The town council also confirmed that water supply in the block wasn’t affected.
Why, Why & Why?
Why would a pipe dislodge? Would it happen in your block as well?
According to the folks at the town council, this was a “one-off incident”, and it didn’t seem to be a human error. The town council claimed that the “contractor did check to ensure that the pipe was in working order before commencing the washing.”
And to add this off, they added, “We will be making improvements to the design of the pipe layout to prevent a recurrence.”
Oh, wells.
I wonder who’s going to pay for the water. Water is expensive now, okay?
