Concrete blocks falling from HDB units spark resident safety concerns

SINGAPORE: A resident of a Yishun HDB flat recently raised safety concerns after concrete blocks began falling from the ceiling of his unit, causing cracks in parts of the ceiling and walls. 

The building where the unit is located is said to be 42 years old, and when reporters visited the area, many residents unfortunately reported similar problems. 

A 71-year-old resident shared with Shin Min Daily News that thankfully, he was able to escape being hit by a falling concrete block while washing his dishes last February. A few months later, the condition of his kitchen ceiling is worsening, with parts on the verge of collapsing. 

The resident also complained that when the authorities managed to renovate the toilets for residents a few years back, they just painted the ceilings, and now the bathrooms have issues with falling concrete as well. 

A similar incident happened to another resident living on the 11th floor of the building. The 65-year-old admitted that after her toilet was renovated, cracks appeared after a year or two. Furthermore, the tiles under the water pipes were also cracked. 

This April, a concrete block also fell from another unit, where a female resident claimed, “I often cook in the kitchen, and thankfully it didn’t happen while I was cooking.” 

With this, she declared, “I once hired a contractor to repair the kitchen ceiling, but now even the living room walls are cracked. I’m old and don’t know how to file a complaint, so I’ve just left it as is.” 

Aside from falling concrete, more residents experience water seepage concerns. A 76-year-old resident living on the 12th floor of the building remarked that at the beginning of the year, her unit had water seepage, but she managed to report it to the authorities. Afterwards, repairs were made. 

In these types of cases with serious safety hazards, such as major ceiling leaks, wall cracks, falling windows, and structural issues, it is advisable to contact the Housing and Development Board (HDB) right away. 

Contact HDB’s emergency hotline: 1800-455-0089 for critical safety issues that require immediate attention.