Seven parties charged over sinkhole that swallowed a car in Tanjong Katong

SINGAPORE: Nearly a year after a dramatic sinkhole opened up along Tanjong Katong Road South, swallowing a car along with its driver in its wake, investigations by the Building and Construction Authority (BCA), the Ministry of Manpower (MOM), and the Land Transport Authority (LTA) have concluded, with enforcement actions now being taken against those involved.

What happened on July 26, 2025

The incident took place beside a worksite where a shaft was being constructed to connect three new sewer pipelines. The works involved soil strengthening using Jet Grout Piles, as well as the casting of reinforced concrete caisson rings.

At around 5:50 p.m., part of the shaft under construction reportedly failed, causing soil to flow into the shaft. At around the same time, a sinkhole formed on the road above, and a car, with its driver still inside, fell into it. Workers at the worksite managed to rescue the driver, who was taken to hospital conscious.

Seven parties charged, two given conditional warnings

Following the joint investigation, charges have been brought against seven parties tied to the project. These include the builder, Ohin Construction Co Pte Ltd, along with its managing director, project director, and project manager. Two Qualified Persons and a resident engineer have also been charged.

The alleged lapses span several areas. Investigators found that unauthorised building works and road resurfacing had been carried out, with the works not complying with approved plans and lacking adequate risk assessments or safe work procedures. There were also reportedly licensing and supervisory failures, with specialist building works carried out without the required licence.

On the monitoring front, mandatory tests stipulated under the approved plans were allegedly not conducted, and the worksite did not have an operational video surveillance system at the time of the incident. Investigators also found that authorities were not notified of a road depression that had occurred before the sinkhole formed, and that there had been false declarations regarding the appointment of a site supervisor.

Separately, conditional warnings have been issued to PUB and Surbana Jurong Consultants Pte Ltd for offences under the Building Control Act.

Work on the project has been halted since the incident and remains so. Before it can resume, new project parties appointed by PUB will need to submit fresh structural plans, which will undergo comprehensive safety assessments and require approval from the BCA’s Commissioner of Building Control.

What this means for other construction sites in Singapore

In the aftermath of the incident, BCA reviewed more than 60 similar ongoing projects across the island and found no safety issues, reporting that adequate safeguards were in place across all of them. An advisory was also issued to the industry, reminding project parties to exercise due diligence on similar works.

MOM, for its part, has stepped up inspections at construction worksites since the incident, taking enforcement action where safety lapses were found. This included those related to excavation works, as well as issuing advisories to contractors and professionals on worker safety.

The authorities have reiterated that all parties carrying out road works must obtain the necessary permits from LTA and fully comply with regulatory requirements before starting any works. They added that breaches of safety or compliance duties that put the public at risk will be taken seriously.

For commuters and residents near construction sites, particularly those involving excavation or underground works, the case serves as a reminder of just how much relies on proper supervision, testing, and timely reporting behind the scenes, especially on projects that run beneath roads still in daily use.