'Waterfall' of waste at NUS building
Burst kitchen waste pipe raises a stink at Shaw Foundation Alumni House
Mr Anson Lau was at the Shaw Foundation Alumni House yesterday afternoon to meet some friends when he heard a loud sound that was followed by a sudden stench.
A pipe in the ceiling of the first storey of the building at the National University of Singapore had burst, causing kitchen waste to leak from the ceiling to the floor.
Mr Lau, 62, who works in legal services, was on the second storey of the building when the incident happened at about 3.30pm.
He said: "The smell was so bad, and the water wouldn't stop flowing, just like a waterfall.
"The entire first storey was filled with waste water."
The burst pipe is believed to be related to the pipe works being done at a restaurant on the fourth level.
Mr Jack Sim, 36, branch manager of The University Club restaurant on the fourth storey, said: "We had experienced some problems with our drainage earlier and called the professionals for help.
"But after they were done, the security guard came to tell us there was water leaking from the ceiling on the first storey."
When Mr Sim went to check on the damage, he saw that parts of the false ceiling had fallen and there was water flowing from the burst pipe.
He asked the plumbing crew that he had engaged earlier to help with the damaged pipe.
CHOKED
Mr Ismail Ibrahim, 40, a senior executive at Asia Pacz, the plumbing company engaged by Mr Sim, said the problem was a kitchen waste pipe that had been choked with oil and grease.
He said: "There was no crack in the pipe, but it was quite badly choked. My men were able to handle it."
When The New Paper visited the building yesterday evening, the water had been cleaned up, but the first-storey floor was greasy and workers were still working on the damaged pipe.
There was still a putrid smell.
Mr Sim said that nobody was hurt. and only a coffee table, some sofas and parts of the carpet were damaged.
The smell was so bad, and the water wouldn't stop flowing, just like a waterfall.
- Mr Anson Lau, who was at the Shaw Foundation Alumni House when a pipe in the ceiling burst
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