Some netizens have shared in social media that the MRT trains in the North-East line were skipping the Hougang station. SBS Transit, the company which runs that line said in a tweet at 3pm that “all trains on the NEL will skip NE14 Hougang Station due to a security incident.” There will be a free bus from Serangoon station to Buangkok station, SBS Transit added. It gave no further details.
Netizens have tweeted that the station appears to be vacated and that an ambulance and police vehicles are seen outside the station. The Straits Times reported that an unattended luggage was found at the station.
Police have confirmed that they attended to a case of unattended bag at Hougang MRT station and that they have checked the unattended bag, but nothing suspicious was found. They thanked the SBS Transit staff for their alertness.
Shortly after the station reopened, police were seen escorting away a man in a singlet, who is believed to be the owner of the unattended bag that sparked safety fears. TODAY newspaper reported that the man has been detained.