Singapore Tragedies
When you take a look at the splendor of Singapore sights, such as our beautiful skyline, gardens, roads and buildings, you may not believe that this nation has experienced its fair share of tragedies. It is important for us to remember these events, not only as a part of our history, but to learn from them so that we can prevent them from happening in the future. In fact, some of these tragedies were important moments in our nation’s development. Let’s take a look at some of them!
1961 – Bukit Ho Swee Fire
On 25 May 1961, one of Singapore’s largest fires broke out in Bukit Ho Swee, across a 100-acre area. The entire area was engulfed in flames, including a school, shops, factories, wooden and attap houses. The fire killed 4 people and left 16,000 others homeless. The cause of the fire remains unknown till this day.
However, the fire pushed the government to quickly relocate the homeless, by building many low-cost public housing units over the next few years. The Bukit Ho Swee area was transformed into one of Singapore’s first public housing estate, which eventually led to the well-established housing system that Singapore has today.
1986 – Hotel New World
If you take a look at the majestic skyscrapers in Singapore today, you may not believe that a building in Singapore once collapsed due to a weak structure and poor construction. On 15 March 1986, the six-storey Hotel New World at Serangoon Road collapsed, claiming 33 lives.
The disaster brought the nation together. The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) and volunteers worked tirelessly to save lives. The public also came forward to offer help in any way they could by donating blood, food and money.
Following this tragedy, the government took a more active role in the building industry to ensure that building owners perform the necessary checks and uphold a minimum standard of quality. The Development and Building Control Division at the Ministry of National Development was then set up to conduct structural checks on all new buildings.
2004 – Nicoll Highway Collapse
You may have passed by the Nicoll Highway on the way into Singapore’s city area, such as Suntec City, but did you know that the highway once collapsed and claimed 4 lives?
A stretch of the highway collapsed on the afternoon of 20 April 2004, cutting off power to about 15,000 people and 700 businesses in the Marina Bay and Suntec City areas. The disaster happened when a temporary wall of the MRT Circle Line tunnel under the highway collapsed, causing the entire highway above to cave in, almost 30 metres deep. It took 3 days of rescue efforts to clear the
rubble. The tragedy taught Singapore the importance of good structure and design review as well as regular checks to ensure safety.
2013 – Little India Riot
Closer to the present, there was a riot in Little India on the night of 8 December 2013. The riot involved 400 South Asian foreign workers after a bus knocked down and killed an Indian national along Race Course Road. The accident sparked violence as bottles, umbrellas, metal drain covers and rubbish bins were hurled at the bus. When the ambulance and police arrived, the vehicles were also set on fire, overturned and burnt.
The incident saw a series of measures, such as restriction on alcohol sale and alcohol consumption in public places being imposed, to prevent such violence in the future.