Concrete block falls through awning of prata shop

Singapore—A concrete block fell through the awning of a prata shop in Chai Chee on Tuesday morning (Nov 10). Although diners were in the shop at the time, fortunately no one was injured.

Chinese daily Lianhe Wanbao reported that a concrete block the size of a brick fell from the twelfth floor of a HDB building, smashing through the awning of Khan Saab Prata shop in Chai Chee at around 10:00 in the morning.

The block shattered into pieces when it landed, and the shop’s patrons quickly moved out of the way.

A reporter for the “Lianhe Evening News” who went to the prata shop after the incident said that the owner, who asked to remain unnamed, recounted what happened. He said there were two people in the outdoor dining area when a loud noise was suddenly heard, made by the fallen concrete block.

The two diners, startled and afraid, ran into the shop to seek refuge, while the eatery’s employees called the police.

Lianhe Wanbao quotes the owner as saying, “If it were not for the awning, the diners sitting in the dining area outside the store could have been hit by the concrete block. It can be said that the awning saved them.”

The Chinese daily added that based on a calculation of the height from which the concrete block fell, as well as its weight, it could have caused considerable damage if it had hit someone.

The report also said that steel bars could be seen from where the concrete block had fallen off, and that the ceilings of a number of HDB flats in the building showed water seepage as well.

On Facebook, a netizen by the name of Shah Ismail also posted a video of the aftermath of the fallen concrete block. He tagged the HDB and captioned his video with, “Housing & Development Board a big chunk of concrete slab fell down on the canvas shelter of Khan Saab prata shop at Chai Chee Drive blk 55. Fortunately nobody was hurt!”

The Marine Parade Town Council has cordoned off the affected area to prevent further mishaps. Engineers have also been assigned by the Town Council to investigate the fallen concrete block and find the reason why it had broken loose from the building.

The needed repairs will be made by the Town Council upon the recommendation of the engineers.

Lianhe Wanbao added that in March of this year, cracks in the building’s corridor ceilings began to appear. This is the first time that a concrete block has broken loose from the building. —/TISG

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