Concrete dislodged from Clementi apartment rooftop falls 40 floors onto playground

Submitted by Stomper G

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A concrete slab fell 40 storeys from the roof of a block at the Trivelis - a Design, Build and Sell Scheme (DBSS) project by the Housing and Development Board (HDB) at Clementi Avenue 4 - onto a playground below.

Stomper G received WhatsApp messages from a friend living in the area, warning her about the incident which happened last Thursday (Nov 16). 

One of the messages showed a screenshot of Facebook user Ho Guo Liang, who posted a response seemingly from the Town Council. 

According to The Sunday Times, the developer, EL Development (ELD) attributed the cause of the incident to lightning having struck the rooftop of Block 311C.

As a result of the lightning, a piece of concrete was dislodged from the precast concrete facade.

A company spokesman said: “Fortunately, no one was at the playground as it was raining heavily."

The spokesman confirmed that an examination by a professional engineer determined that the building is structurally sound. 

The company’s claims were, however, refuted by the Holland-Bukit Panjang Town Council. 

In a statement issued by the town council on Friday (Nov 17), a spokesman said: "We wish to inform residents that the town council does not yet share this view as investigations are ongoing. 

"Residents’ safety is of utmost importance to us, and we have a duty to ensure that any conclusions are drawn correctly.”

Meanwhile, loose debris on the rooftop was cleared by workers, but the playground below remained cordoned off as a precautionary measure. 

The town council also advised residents to stay away from the playground. "For the time being, we continue to advise residents not to enter the cordoned-off areas."

G voiced her concern over the issue, saying that the concrete could have endangered others if it fell on them. 

She added: "The playground has been closed for a few days. I hope this problem gets resolved soon."