SINGAPORE SCENES: INNER STRENGTH OF SINGAPOREANS
It is often said that the character of a nation and its people are tested in times of tragedy. How the nation responded as a whole in the face of overwhelming odds often speaks volumes about the inner strength of its people. The following are three tragedies in Singapore’s recent history which also provided an inspirational insight into the spirit of its people.
Cable Car Disaster (29 January 1983)
At about 6 pm that evening in 1983, the Eniwetok, an oil drilling ship, was being towed through the waterway between Sentosa Island and the Singapore mainland. Unfortunately, during the ship’s course, its gantry tower caught one of the two cables of the cable car system. This pulled the cable out of place and caused two cable cars to plunge into the water 55 metres below. Meanwhile, four other cable cars, containing thirteen passengers, were left stranded precariously in the air.
Singapore’s response was immediate. Once the news of this tragedy was received, an emergency operations centre was set up. The Second Permanent of Defence was tasked to coordinate the rescue operation efforts, which involved the Singapore Police Force, Singapore Fire Service (now the Singapore Civil Defence Force) and the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF). Working together as a team, the SAF launched mid-air operations from helicopters to rescue the stranded passengers. Meanwhile, efforts were also made to prevent the Eniwetok from moving further as this could end up breaking both cables, causing the four cable cars to fall into the sea.
After being stranded for almost eight hours, the cable car passengers were finally rescued.
The entire rescue mission, which was conducted in pitch dark and high wind conditions, took about three and a half hours. Unfortunately, seven of the passengers in the two cable cars, which had plunged into the sea, died. One young boy, who was in one of the two cable cars, managed to survive his serious injuries.
The cable car disaster came as a shock to Singaporeans, as this was the first major accident involving death or injury since the cable car system came into operation in 1974. Nonetheless, the rescue teams were able to work together, coordinate their efforts while maintaining their composure during a very tense period, to pull off the rescue operation. The success of the operation also enhanced the reputation of the security forces. While the nation initially reeled from the sudden shock of the tragedy, it was able to stay calm and rally together to ensure a successful resolution.
Hotel New World Collapse (15 March 1986)
On that sleepy Saturday morning, the six-storey Hotel New World at Serangoon Road suddenly collapsed into a pile of rubble. The collapse took less than a minute, making it impossible for anyone to escape in time. The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF), Singapore Police Force and the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) medical personnel were immediately dispatched to the scene.
Initially, there were some concerns that hundreds of people were trapped underneath the debris. Moreover, rescue personnel at that time were not trained to handle such a situation. Nonetheless, the nation soon rallied itself to meet the challenge. Firstly, a command and control centre was set up under the SCDF to coordinate rescue efforts. A concerted approach was also worked out to remove the debris from the top and the sides so as to gain access to the people trapped inside the rubble. Secondly, with the assistance of MRT tunneling experts and the use of specialised equipment such as aqua-jet cutting tools, life detector devices and infrared imagers, the rescue personnel were able to rescue several people from the rubble. Thirdly, despite the monumental challenge, many Singaporeans from all walks of life also came forward to help in any way they can. Some volunteered to join the SCDF rescue efforts by carrying chunks of rubble so that the SCDF personnel could focus on looking for survivors, while others donated food, money, blood.
As the arduous rescue efforts continued over the next few days, there was a glimmer of hope when survivors were successfully pulled out of the rubble. After seven days of working through day and night, a total of 17 people were rescued from the rubble, while the bodies of 33 people who had died in this disaster were also retrieved.
In the subsequent commission of inquiry, it was determined that the cause of the building collapse was due to the inadequate design of the building, which was made worse by recent installations on the roof. To help the families of those who had perished in the collapse, the Community Chest set up a disaster relief fund to raise donations from the public, who generously donated more than $1.5 million. In the aftermath of the disaster, building codes were also tightened while more regular building checks for structural faults were conducted.
The Hotel New World disaster, while tragic, was also a moment when the best of the Singapore spirit was displayed, when the selflessness, courage, generosity and determination of various individuals allowed the nation to overcome this tragedy.
Nicoll Highway Collapse (20 April 2004)
In the afternoon of that day, a section of the Nicoll Highway suddenly collapsed, caving into a MRT tunnel that was undergoing construction at the time. The collapse, which formed a 30-metre deep ravine, also cut off electrical cables, water and gas pipes in the area, disrupting supplies to the Marina and Suntec City area.
All the roads leading to Nicoll Highway were immediately sealed off. The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) was also dispatched to the scene. It was a precarious situation where the SCDF personnel had to manage their rescue operations while monitoring the risk of further collapse in the area. Notwithstanding such challenges, the SCDF succeeded in recovering three survivors from the scene within the first hour. Subsequently, life detector devices were also used to probe for possible survivors under the rubble, though to no avail. Throughout the entire operation, the SCDF personnel constantly faced the dangers of further collapse or landslides, especially when there was heavy rain on the fourth day of the operation.
After four days, the three bodies of those who had perished were recovered, with one person unaccounted for; Heng Yeow Peow, a 40-year old Singaporean foreman of the MRT tunnel construction project.
Subsequently, it was determined by the committee of inquiry that the cause of the collapse was the failure of the supporting structure of the MRT tunnel under construction at the time. The committee also found the main contractor Nishimatsu Construction Company and Land Transport Authority officers responsible for the disaster. As a result of this incident, the partially built Nicoll Highway MRT station was abandoned, while a new station was built about 100 metres from the collapse site.
During this entire episode, the rescue personnel were able to remain calm, in the face of numerous challenges and often at risk to their own lives, to perform their professional duties, much to the gratitude of the nation.