Sinkhole at Yishun Avenue 7 filled: PUB

Sinkhole found at Yishun Avenue 7 on Oct 26, 2016. PHOTOS: MUHAMMAD SAIFUL EIDUR SAIMEN/FACEBOOK
Sinkhole found at Yishun Avenue 7 on Oct 26, 2016. PHOTO: MUHAMMAD SAIFUL EIDUR SAIMEN/FACEBOOK

SINGAPORE - A sinkhole that appeared at Yishun Avenue 7 on Wednesday (Oct 26) has been filled, PUB said.

The national water agency said that its contractors, who were carrying out sewer works, noticed a hole on the road at about 5pm on Wednesday.

"They cordoned off the area and backfilled the hole by 9pm yesterday," a PUB spokesman said.

Photos of the sinkhole were shared on social media by netizens who were concerned that it would pose a danger to motorists.

Investigations on what caused the hole are ongoing, PUB said.

Facebook used Salicia Hoe said that she saw a young Malay man standing in front of the sinkhole to warn others about it.

"He was jumping in and out of the road, waving to warn whenever he sees any car or motorists heading towards it. He was really worth commending," she said in a Facebook comment.

The young man was Mr Muhammad Saiful Eidur Saimen, a full-time national serviceman.

Mr Muhammad, 26, told The Straits Times that he was riding to Woodlands from Yishun with his girlfriend at around 2.55pm when he saw the hole.

"I really felt the need to stop and to divert the traffic as it would definitely cause an accident to other road users especially to riders," he said. He also called the police.

Mr Muhammad estimated that the hole was about 60cm wide at first. As he walked back towards the hole, some large vehicles drove over it, and it grew to about 100cm. The depth of the hole was about 1.5m, and there was a space of about a car length underneath the road, he said.

Two Chinese men joined him in diverting the traffic for about 15 minutes, he said. Traffic police officers arrived after that, and took over.

"I went by around 11.30pm the same day, the contractors were already packing their stuff and it was already covered," he added.

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