Upstairs renovations blamed for falling cement blocks and damaged ceilings, residents complain

SINGAPORE: Residents of an HDB flat in Bukit Panjang were shocked when, on the very first day of renovations in the unit above, construction workers accidentally broke through the floor. The mishap created a large hole in their ceiling, sending cement blocks crashing down into their home.

A 46-year-old resident reported to Shin Min Daily News that her father once returned home and was shocked to find a hole about eight centimeters in diameter in the kitchen ceiling. 

“The new owner of the apartment upstairs is renovating. Yesterday was the first day of construction, and they started banging on it in the morning. I thought the noise was too loud, so I put on earplugs and didn’t know when the ceiling was broken,” he admitted. 

Two migrant workers who were working on the upstairs unit then explained to him that an accident happened while they were hammering the floor tiles, which was why a hole was made. 

The resident shared: “The hole was right at the kitchen entrance, directly above the refrigerator. My mother was often busy in the kitchen and taking groceries from the refrigerator. Fortunately, she wasn’t in the kitchen when it happened, and nothing in the house was damaged.” 

Shin Min Daily News reported the incident to the authorities and renovation contractors, and is still waiting for a response. Furthermore, workers arrived at the hole, saying that they will continue negative work. 

The resident admitted that the person-in-charge of the renovation company rushed to the scene to apologize and instructed to temporarily cover the hole with a thick wooden board. 

In similar news, a resident also complained that his toilet ceiling has been damp and peeling for a long time, and that even “stalactites” have grown on it. 

He suspected that the cause of this was due to inadequate waterproofing after the renovations of the upstairs unit a few years back.

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