Punggol resident surprised by appearance of 'mystery hole' in corridor

A hole about 50cm in diameter, has appeared on a corridor wall at a Punggol Housing and Development Board (HDB) block. 

The phenomenon has left residents puzzled, and also worried about children crawling in, or that the place could become a breeding ground for mosquitoes. 

A real estate agent, Mr Chen Guo Yuan, 57, alerted Shin Min Daily News to the hole on a corridor wall of Block 302B, Punggol Place. 

Said Mr Chen: "The hole appeared on the wall, just outside a client’s unit. The hole was previously blocked by a shoe rack.

"As the client is often working overseas, he decided to rent out his house. At the end of January 2018, the new tenants requested to replace the shoe rack. 

"My client asked his sister to remove the shoe rack, and found the hole behind."

Mr Chen said that his client’s sister later alerted HDB to the incident, and was told by the authorities that the town council will handle the matter.

He added that the new tenants would be moving in on Feb 23, and hopes to resolve the matter before that. 

Reporters visited the scene and found that the hole has been covered up with a wooden plank. 

The bricks which have been displaced were about 10cm in thickness each.

There was a small space about the size of a small table behind the wall, and directly above it, the ceiling.

A resident said that the residents only knew about the hole after the shoe rack was removed, and has no idea how the hole came about. 

He said: "From the start, the kids in the neighbourhood would play in the corridors. We were worried that some of the more naughty ones will crawl in and get stuck. 

"The consequences could be serious. Secondly, we are also worried that there may be a pool of water collecting due to the recent wet weather. This could be a breeding ground for mosquitoes."

In response to media queries, a spokesman for Pasir Ris - Punggol Town Council said that the town council was alerted to the incident on Jan 31, 2018, and reparation works are in order. 

The spokesman continued: "Our staff have implemented measures to prevent water from accumulating within the hole, and stop the breeding of mosquitoes. In addition, we will also seal the hole to prevent the possibility of an accident. 

"The contractor responsible seeks to complete the reparation work as soon as possible."