Bedok North shop leaks in rain, shop owner can’t use lights or fans due to electric hazards

SINGAPORE: A shop owner in Bedok North complained that the roof outside his shop experiences leaks every single time rain pours, and the problem has become more and more serious in recent years. With this, he is hesitant to turn on the lights, fans, or even the CCTV camera due to electrical concerns. 

The 58-year-old shop owner, who has run a bird shop for more than five years, reported to Shin Min Daily News that rainwater flows down from his shop’s roof like a waterfall, making the outside of the shop wet. As seen from a video that the owner filmed when it was raining heavily, the rainwater was constantly flowing from the roof so that people passing by needed to open their umbrellas. 

Due to this issue and with the rainy season, a fan outside the store was covered with a plastic bag, and the shop’s lights and CCTV camera were affected as well. 

“It rained for three days straight, so I didn’t dare turn on the lights or the fan. I even wrapped it up in fear of damaging it. My CCTV camera also stopped working, and I was worried that the wires inside might have gotten wet,” the owner expressed. 

In addition to the leaking roof in front of the bird shop, it was also observed that the ceilings in nearby locations were also experiencing leakage—some appear to be bulging due to dampness. 

According to the Town Council, heavy rain had affected the roof drainage system, which caused rainwater to overflow from the roof into the walkways. This incident occurs during heavy rain or prolonged periods of rain. The council already explained the situation to the shop owners, and the staff had responded to resolve the issues. 

In other news, there was news recently where a construction team in Hougang damaged an underground water pipe during excavation, triggering a massive burst of water that reached the height of a three-storey building.

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