Tuesday, September 14, 2004
Singapore highway collapse caused by 'glaring' safety lapses
SINGAPORE (AP) - The cave-in of a newly excavated subway tunnel that left four construction workers dead in Singapore earlier this year was likely caused by lapses in basic safety guidelines, an inquiry board has said.
The April disaster was the worst construction accident in Singapore's history. An interim report from a government-appointed inquiry committee released late Monday points the finger at the government's Land Transport Agency, the project owner, and also Nishimatsu-Lum Chang JV, the private contractor responsible for the work. In addition, it warns that security problems that plagued the subway project are endemic to Singapore's construction industry and an island-wide safety overhaul is necessary. "The Committee of Inquiry has thus far seen glaring and critical shortcomings in the execution of the Circle Line project,'' the report said. "These appear on the evidence to be common in the construction industry.'' The report calls for "a more rigorous review and inspection regime,'' to be put into place immediately to prevent similar accidents. The government has vowed to boost the "safety culture'' here and may introduce new building safety legislation later this year, the Straits Times newspaper reported Tuesday, citing Manpower Minister Ng Eng Hen. The inquiry board was tasked by the government to look into the causes of the accident. It released the interim report halfway through its investigation. A final report is expected in November. The cave-in caused a 100-meter (330-foot) -long section of the six-lane Nicoll Highway to fall in on the tunnel. The highway was open at the time, but the accident occurred before peak traffic hours and no vehicles crashed. The collapse delayed the construction of the new 1.39 billion Singapore dollar (US$830 million) subway line, scheduled for completion in 2007. - APFor another perspective from The Straits Times, a partner of Asia News Network, click here.
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