A tree around 30 meters high, fell at Block 1, Holland Close due to heavy rain and strong winds early Monday (3 October) morning causing damage to gas pipes which affected more than 100 households.
A Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) spokesman said it was alerted to the incident at 5.41am and soon deployed a fire engine, a red rhino and an ambulance to the scene. Fortunately, no injuries were reported. He also said that SCDF shut off the mains to the gas pipes for safety reason.
According to Shin Min Daily News, the fallen tree damaged gas pipes and affected the supply to more than 100 households living in a block of flats and the windows’ of five flats in the block were shattered by the tree’s falling branches.
A Singapore Power spokesman said the tree had damaged a gas riser and an estimated 72 units in the block and said, “Our technicians were immediately deployed to the site and our priority was to ensure the safety of everyone in the vicinity. As a precautionary measure, valves to the gas pipes were shut off by the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) to isolate the leak.”
He also said that the gas supply was restored at 8.45 am, although it was interrupted for about 15 minutes at around 1 pm to allow repair works to be completed.
A resident told the Chinese evening daily who lived on the fourth floor that his unit’s gas supply was cut off from about 6.30 am. He said, “It was really inconvenient without a gas supply. My wife often makes breakfast, but this morning we had no choice but to go out and buy food.”
In less than a month ago, an around 30 meters high tree, was also fallen on Pearl Bank Apartments in Chinatown on Sunday (11 September) morning.
According to Shin Min, there were 19 trees which have fallen over the past two months due to thunderstorm.