SINGAPORE: A fire at the Kim Chuan Depot on Wednesday (18 September) caused a brief disruption to Circle Line services, marking the second consecutive day of interruptions on the line.

The fire, which broke out around 8pm in one of the power system cubicles, resulted in a power trip that halted train services for approximately 15 minutes.

A netizen posted in the Facebook group Complaint Singapore, reporting the latest disruption.

According to SMRT, the transport operator, the incident caused several trains to stall, and lighting within the affected trains was briefly impacted.

Engineers at the depot quickly extinguished the fire, and the Singapore Civil Defence Force was activated to assist.

Power was restored by 8.10pm, and normal train services resumed five minutes later at around 8.15pm.

“We appreciate all commuters’ patience and apologise for the longer commutes over the past two evenings,” SMRT said in a statement posted on Facebook, explaining the swift restoration of services after the fire was contained.

In response to the incident on SMRT’s Facebook page, some commuters expressed frustration, noting that the disruptions were happening just before a planned fare increase.

Others raised concerns about the reliability and safety of train services.

Several also criticised SMRT for poor communication during the disruptions, highlighting issues with announcements and equipment at certain stations.

They urged the operator to make improvements before the fare hike takes effect.

The incident followed a major disruption the previous day, when a power fault at 5.50pm on 17 September halted Circle Line services for nearly two hours during the evening peak period.

Eleven trains were stalled inside tunnels for 15 minutes, leaving passengers without air-conditioning.

However, onboard batteries provided partial lighting and ventilation during the outage.

SMRT gradually resumed services, with normal operations restored by 7.40pm.

In a statement on Wednesday morning, SMRT said that staff worked through the night to diagnose the cause of Tuesday’s fault and ensure that all systems were fully operational.

SINGAPORE: Last Tuesday (10 September), a fire broke out in a one-bedroom HDB flat located on the ninth floor of Block 104, Bukit Merah.

The blaze was reportedly started by a three-year-old boy who had been left unattended.

The fire, which originated from a mattress ignited with a lighter, caused significant damage to the unit and affected surrounding areas.

In response to the incident, TikTok user @something4rsomeone launched a fundraising appeal on September 14 to support the affected family.

Within just four days, the appeal successfully raised over S$4,000.

An accompanying video captured the TikToker delivering the funds in cash to Mr Liu, the head of the affected family.

Mr Liu, who lives with his wife and three children, expressed his gratitude for the public’s support.

He shared that the family has relocated to temporary accommodation and has received sufficient donations to manage their immediate needs.

However, he noted that they are still expecting more items to be delivered and took the opportunity to thank everyone for their “concern, love, and donations.”

The fundraising effort will continue until 20 September, at 11:59 pm.

Donations can be made via the PayLah/PayNow QR code available on @something4rsomeone’s TikTok page.

Any proceeds received after the deadline will be used for future charitable activities under the same account.

@something4rsomeone

UNCLE LIU (Part 3) UPDATE ❤️ How are you and family? We are doing alright easing into our new home. We have received much help. How is your new home and are there any other items you need? We have enough for now. Many people have donated and there are still more items on delivery. Are you going back to your old place once it is refurbished? No. We will not be going back. We will stay in our new home from now on. Mr Liu would like to thank everyone for their concern, love and donations. It will help them a lot to recooperate after the incident. We also told Mr Liu to let us know if he ever needs any sort of help or other extra items, the community are ready to assist. Just give us a text/call. As many if you would like to donate items, we are trying to organise a donation drive for the low income communities in the area. You can make a difference. We will keep you updated. More than $4000 was raise during the first batch of fundraising. The final batch of fundraising for Mr Liu is still ongoing. Although Mr Liu has paynow, he has difficulty using it, hence he has allowed us to collect on his behalf. All proceeds will go to him directly during this period and everything will be accounted for. (Link in bio) We will end our final collection on *Friday 20th September 2024 (23:59)*. Everything after the cut-off time will be used as donations under this page. Thank you Singapore, for doing something for someone.

♬ Jaithep Raroengjai_Grandma Home – Ganee

‘True Kampung spirit’

According to earlier report from Shin Min Daily News, Mr Liu and his wife were at work when the fire started, leaving their two sons, aged three and nine, at home.

A friend was supposed to supervise the children but left them unattended for unknown reasons.

The older son, who was playing mobile games, did not notice the fire initially but acted quickly to get his younger brother to safety and alert the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF).

SCDF firefighters promptly extinguished the fire, which had spread from the bedroom, and evacuated about 35 residents from the building.

Smoke from the fire caused visibility issues in the corridor, prompting police and SCDF personnel to assist elderly and disabled residents to safety. Six individuals were hospitalized for smoke inhalation.

The fire caused extensive damage to Mr Liu’s flat, including the destruction of personal belongings and electronics.

Concerns raised over Mr Liu’s S$2,000 household income

The family faces the challenge of replacing these items while managing their daily expenses.

Mr Liu, a cleaner, and his wife, a food stall assistant, have a combined monthly income of just over S$2,000.

Their 11-year-old daughter, who returned home later in the day, was devastated to find her belongings destroyed.

Despite the overwhelming losses, Mr Liu emphasized that the safety of his children remains his top priority.

Notably, some Singaporeans have raised concerns about Mr Liu’s family’s income, which is just over S$2,000, questioning whether it is sufficient for them to cope with the rising cost of living in the city-state.

Daniel Yap, former publisher of the socio-political news site The Middle Ground, pointed out that Singapore has yet to establish a minimum wage or define a poverty line.

PAP MP rejects Jamus Lim’s proposal for official poverty line

In a Parliamentary speech in April last year, Workers’ Party MP for Sengkang GRC, Associate Professor Jamus Lim, renewed his call for Singapore to establish an official poverty line, arguing that it should address more than just basic needs like housing, food, and clothing.

Assoc Prof Lim pointed out that as a country becomes wealthier, what is considered a basic need evolves. He highlighted the distinction between the “absolute minimum” and what is necessary to fully participate in society.

For example, while some may view smartphones and tuition as “unnecessary perks,” Assoc Prof Lim emphasized that many Singaporeans struggle to access essential government services or succeed in school without them.

In addition to proposing a poverty line, Assoc Prof Lim suggested refining existing assistance schemes, such as ComCare and the Workfare Income Supplement (WIS), arguing that they do not adequately support lower-income individuals.

However, National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) Assistant Secretary-General Desmond Choo, also a People’s Action Party MP, dismissed Dr Lim’s proposal, citing the “inherent problems” of a single poverty line.

He warned that it could create an “unintended cliff effect,” excluding those who are financially needy but have incomes slightly above the threshold.

Choo further noted that a poverty line could overlook other challenges faced by needy families, such as difficult family circumstances, poor health, and job readiness.

Responding to Dr Lim’s criticism of the complex processes for accessing government assistance, Choo acknowledged the need for assessments to ensure responsible use of public resources and to properly allocate aid. However, he agreed that efforts could be made to simplify these processes while maintaining the focus on the effectiveness of the schemes.