SINGAPORE - All new MRT stations are protected against floods caused by freak storms. But the Bencoolen MRT station on the yet-to-open Downtown Line 3 was partially submerged last Friday (March 3) by water that came from within.

The Straits Times understands a 150mm water pipe had burst in what appeared to be a pump room, sending water cascading down to the platform area.

Video clips showed the water falling like rain in the facility, with close-ups of the defective pipe.

In a reply sent out at 9.40pm on Monday night, the Land Transport Authority said at about 2.30pm last Friday, the pipe burst near its connecting elbow.

"Water was immediately channelled into the drainage pits and the valve was shut down within 15 minutes," a spokesman said.

"There was no damage to any major equipment or inconvenience to stakeholders. The water pipe at the elbow location has since been reinforced to make it more rigid."

The authority did not reply when asked what caused the leak.

The new line is slated to be opened by the fourth quarter of this year. It connects the city in River Valley to the Expo station in the east. The LTA spokesman the incident would not delay the opening.

The project to build Bencoolen station was awarded to Japan's Sato Kogyo in 2011 for $177.6 million.