Newton MRT fire: Fire caused by electrical cable which short-circuited
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Buy SPH photosA fire broke out at an MRT tunnel just metres from the Newton station disrupting train services on the North South Line for over two hours on Wednesday morning and affected an estimated 15,000 commuters.
An electric cable in the northbound tunnel 5m from Newton station short-circuited and set off the fire.
The fire disrupted services between Newton and Toa Payoh stations from 9.05 am. Traction power between Marina Bay and Toa Payoh stations was turned off from 10.05am as a safety precaution to allow Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) officers and SMRT staff to access the tracks. As a result, services between the two stations were stopped too. The train services resumed at 11.20am.
SMRT said in a statement it sent out in the evening that Newton station staff members managed to put the fire out with a fire extinguisher initially. But the fire reignited causing causing smoke from the tunnel to travel to the station. SCDF officers, who were informed of the fire at 9.04 am, put out the fire with fire extinguishers and some foam. No one was injured.
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A fire broke out at an MRT tunnel just metres from the Newton station disrupting train services on the North South Line for over two hours on Wednesday morning and affected an estimated 15,000 commuters. An electric cable in the northbound tunnel 5m from Newton station short-circuited and set off the fire. -- ST PHOTO: EDWARD TEO
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SMRT staff members shine torchlights onto cables which possibly affected train functions at Newton MRT station. A fire broke out at an MRT tunnel just metres from the Newton station disrupting train services on the North South Line for over two hours on Wednesday morning and affected an estimated 15,000 commuters. -- ST PHOTO: EDWARD TEO
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Commuters at the smoke-filled Newton MRT on the morning of Wednesday, Feb 13, 2013. Northbound train services between Newton and Toa Payoh were disrupted at about 9.05am on Wednesday morning due to a traction power cable which caught fire. -- PHOTO: SHIN MIN
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SCDF fire engines at Newton MRT station. A fire broke out at Newton MRT on morning of Wednesday, Feb 13, 2013, at 9am, causing a delay on the North-South line between Woodlands MRT and Marina Bay MRT stations. -- PHOTO: COURTESY OF VICTOR TAN
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SCDF fire engines outside Newton MRT station. Northbound train services between Newton and Toa Payoh were disrupted on morning of Wednesday, Feb 13, 2013, at about 9.05am, due to a cable which caught fire in the tunnel at Newton station. -- ST PHOTO: JANICE TAN CHYE LUAN
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An ambulance outside Newton MRT station. Northbound train services between Newton and Toa Payoh were disrupted on morning of Wednesday, Feb 13, 2013, at about 9.05am, due to a cable which caught fire in the tunnel at Newton station. -- ST PHOTO: JANICE TAN CHYE LUAN
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SCDF fire fighters beside the tracks of the Northbound train at Newton MRT station where an electrical fire had started. Northbound train services between Newton and Toa Payoh were disrupted at about 9.05am on the morning of Wednesday, Feb 13, 2013, due to a traction power cable which caught fire. -- PHOTO: SHIN MIN
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SCDF fire fighters gather at the entrance of Newton MRT station along with their equipment on Wednesday, Feb 13, 2013. Northbound train services between Newton and Toa Payoh were disrupted at about 9.05am on Wednesday morning due to a traction power cable which caught fire. -- PHOTO: SHIN MIN
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Commuters crowd an MRT station on the North-South line as an announcement message flashes across a notification screen to inform them of the train disruption on the morning of Wednesday, Feb 13, 2013. -- PHOTO: SHIN MIN
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The scene at Toa Payoh MRT station. The air-conditioning in the train came on only when the train was moving. The train was moving from Toa Payoh to Jurong East; only one track was used. Passengers going to Marina Bay station were told to wait.-- ST PHOTO: JANICE TAN CHYE LUAN
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Northbound train services between Marina Bay and Toa Payoh stations resumed on morning of Wednesday, Feb 13, 2013, at 11.30am. -- ST PHOTO: DARYL CHIN
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Stranded commuters boarding a free shuttle bus outside Dhoby Ghaut station. A fire broke out at Newton MRT on morning of Wednesday, Feb 13, 2013, at 9am, causing a delay on the North-South line between Woodlands MRT and Marina Bay MRT stations. -- ST PHOTO: JANICE TAN CHYE LUAN
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Stranded commuters boarding a free shuttle bus outside Dhoby Ghaut station. A fire broke out at Newton MRT on morning of Wednesday, Feb 13, 2013, at 9am, causing a delay on the North-South line between Woodlands MRT and Marina Bay MRT stations. -- ST PHOTO: JANICE TAN CHYE LUAN
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A fire broke out at Newton MRT on morning of Wednesday, Feb 13, 2013, at 9am, causing a delay on the North-South line between Woodlands MRT and Marina Bay MRT stations. Free public and shuttle buses are available at affected stations between Toa Payoh and Newton. -- ST PHOTO: JANICE TAN CHYE LUAN
A fire broke out at an MRT tunnel just metres from the Newton station disrupting train services on the North South Line for over two hours on Wednesday morning and affected an estimated 15,000 commuters. An electric cable in the northbound tunnel 5m from Newton station short-circuited and set off the fire. -- ST PHOTO: EDWARD TEO
SMRT staff members shine torchlights onto cables which possibly affected train functions at Newton MRT station. A fire broke out at an MRT tunnel just metres from the Newton station disrupting train services on the North South Line for over two hours on Wednesday morning and affected an estimated 15,000 commuters. -- ST PHOTO: EDWARD TEO
Commuters at the smoke-filled Newton MRT on the morning of Wednesday, Feb 13, 2013. Northbound train services between Newton and Toa Payoh were disrupted at about 9.05am on Wednesday morning due to a traction power cable which caught fire. -- PHOTO: SHIN MIN
SCDF fire engines at Newton MRT station. A fire broke out at Newton MRT on morning of Wednesday, Feb 13, 2013, at 9am, causing a delay on the North-South line between Woodlands MRT and Marina Bay MRT stations. -- PHOTO: COURTESY OF VICTOR TAN
SCDF fire engines outside Newton MRT station. Northbound train services between Newton and Toa Payoh were disrupted on morning of Wednesday, Feb 13, 2013, at about 9.05am, due to a cable which caught fire in the tunnel at Newton station. -- ST PHOTO: JANICE TAN CHYE LUAN
An ambulance outside Newton MRT station. Northbound train services between Newton and Toa Payoh were disrupted on morning of Wednesday, Feb 13, 2013, at about 9.05am, due to a cable which caught fire in the tunnel at Newton station. -- ST PHOTO: JANICE TAN CHYE LUAN
SCDF fire fighters beside the tracks of the Northbound train at Newton MRT station where an electrical fire had started. Northbound train services between Newton and Toa Payoh were disrupted at about 9.05am on the morning of Wednesday, Feb 13, 2013, due to a traction power cable which caught fire. -- PHOTO: SHIN MIN
SCDF fire fighters gather at the entrance of Newton MRT station along with their equipment on Wednesday, Feb 13, 2013. Northbound train services between Newton and Toa Payoh were disrupted at about 9.05am on Wednesday morning due to a traction power cable which caught fire. -- PHOTO: SHIN MIN
Commuters crowd an MRT station on the North-South line as an announcement message flashes across a notification screen to inform them of the train disruption on the morning of Wednesday, Feb 13, 2013. -- PHOTO: SHIN MIN
The scene at Toa Payoh MRT station. The air-conditioning in the train came on only when the train was moving. The train was moving from Toa Payoh to Jurong East; only one track was used. Passengers going to Marina Bay station were told to wait.-- ST PHOTO: JANICE TAN CHYE LUAN
Northbound train services between Marina Bay and Toa Payoh stations resumed on morning of Wednesday, Feb 13, 2013, at 11.30am. -- ST PHOTO: DARYL CHIN
Stranded commuters boarding a free shuttle bus outside Dhoby Ghaut station. A fire broke out at Newton MRT on morning of Wednesday, Feb 13, 2013, at 9am, causing a delay on the North-South line between Woodlands MRT and Marina Bay MRT stations. -- ST PHOTO: JANICE TAN CHYE LUAN
Stranded commuters boarding a free shuttle bus outside Dhoby Ghaut station. A fire broke out at Newton MRT on morning of Wednesday, Feb 13, 2013, at 9am, causing a delay on the North-South line between Woodlands MRT and Marina Bay MRT stations. -- ST PHOTO: JANICE TAN CHYE LUAN
A fire broke out at Newton MRT on morning of Wednesday, Feb 13, 2013, at 9am, causing a delay on the North-South line between Woodlands MRT and Marina Bay MRT stations. Free public and shuttle buses are available at affected stations between Toa Payoh and Newton. -- ST PHOTO: JANICE TAN CHYE LUAN
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