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: Three Singaporean women charged in connection with a pro-Palestinian procession to the Istana will contest their charges at trial, a court heard on Wednesday (18 September).

The defendants are Annamalai Kokila Parvathi, 35, an activist with the Transformative Justice Collective (TJC); Siti Amirah Mohamed Asrori, 29, a social media influencer; and Mossamad Sobikun Nahar, 25, a community worker.

They were charged in June under the Public Order Act for organizing an unpermitted procession on 2 February.

During the court hearing on Wednesday, the trio, through their lawyer, indicated their intention to contest the charges and claim trial.

Siti Amirah and Mossamad are accused of organizing the procession that occurred between 2pm and 3pm along the perimeter of the Istana, a restricted area.

Kokila is charged with abetting the conspiracy by collaborating with Siti, Mossamad, Alysha Mohamed Rahmat Shah, Anystasha Mohamed Rahmat Shah, and other unnamed individuals to organize the event.

According to a previous police statement, around 70 people gathered outside a mall on Orchard Road at about 2pm on 2 February before marching towards the Istana.

They carried umbrellas painted with watermelon images, symbolizing support for Palestinians amidst the ongoing Israel- Palestinian conflict.

The watermelon, reflecting the colors of the Palestinian flag, has become a symbol of solidarity.

Social media posts indicate that participants of the Letters for Palestine event walked from Plaza Singapura to the Istana to deliver letters addressed to then-Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

The cases have been adjourned to October for pre-trial conferences.

If convicted under the Public Order Act, the women face a potential penalty of up to six months’ imprisonment, a fine of up to S$10,000, or both.

The police have reiterated their call for the public to avoid actions that could disrupt peace, public order, and social harmony in Singapore.

They advised that while strong feelings about the Israel-Hamas conflict are understandable, lawful means of expression, such as participating in organized forums, dialogues, and donation drives, are preferable to illegal protests.