Breakdown on North-South MRT line
SINGAPORE: Train services along the MRT North-South
line are down.
Channel NewsAsia is getting reports that services
are affected on both directions, from Marina Bay to
Braddell.
There is darkness reported at some stations.
One viewer said he is stuck at Toa Payoh station.
While another said he is held up between Orchard and Somerset
stations and that the train is in total darkness.
Another viewer, Nizam Rahim, said his wife is stuck in a train at
Dhoby Ghaut station and commuters are being evacuated and walking
out of the tunnel.
Peak hour traffic is also affected in some parts.
Passengers described scenes of confusion, as they tried to make
sense of the situation.
One commuter, Adam, said he and hundreds of passengers were stuck
on the train travelling from Somerset to Orchard.
The electricity appears to have been cut off, as the train was in
total darkness.
Neither did the air-conditioner seem to be working.
Adam said: "We have been stranded there for one hour, and it is
very hot and stuffy. The train doors are all closed. The light also
suddenly (switched off), so it's total darkness.
"The train doors (are) also not open, and it is terrible.
"A lot of people angry, banging on the windows to break the
windows, I don't know whether (the windows) can (be) broken or not,
so that the air can come in. It's very stuffy, it's like a
sauna."
Adam later told Channel NewsAsia that the train appeared to have
been towed to Orchard MRT station.
Someone in one of the carriages then forced the train doors open,
freeing the trapped passengers.
Another commuter, who wanted to be known as Mr Tan, spoke to
Channel NewsAsia from Raffles Place MRT station.
He was on his way to work, and heard several announcements asking
passengers to avoid the North-South line and to take the East-West
line instead.
Mr Tan said: "A lot of us all have problems. There are so many
people coming downstairs and people telling them the train is not
moving anymore. I think the crowd is getting very big.
"The only thing I know is that I'm late for work, so I have to take
alternative route. So I quickly ran upstairs to get a taxi,
hopefully I can get a taxi. Now I'm still trying to get a taxi
actually."
Another spoke to us from Toa Payoh station, and said there were
long queues of people, who seemed to be requesting refunds.
- CNA/ck
