Channel NewsAsia - Thursday, July
3
SINGAPORE: The explosion at the Somerset substation caused some
500 workers to leave their offices at 111 Somerset Road, formerly
known as the Singapore Power building.
Four people were injured and sent to the Singapore General
Hospital. One of them suffered 2nd degree burns and the rest were
treated for smoke inhalation.
Workers from other nearby malls and offices streamed out onto
the streets. A part of the Orchard Road shopping belt was briefly
plunged into darkness and traffic was also disrupted after a flash
fire broke out a power substation.
SP PowerGrid said its contractor had been carrying out
maintenance work at the 66—kilovolt (66kV) substation when a flash
fire occurred.
The explosion also disrupted traffic and triggered blackouts at
many buildings in the Orchard Road vicinity.
Weng Enqi from *Scape Youth Centre, said: "It happened really
fast. All the lights went out and we heard a loud bang and we felt
the vibrations from the bang. My colleague shouted, "Explosion!"
because from her window she could actually see a ball of fire." —
CNA/vm