Water from sprinklers at JEM mall damages goods; some shops forced to close

Staff cleaning up after sprinklers went off at JEM shopping mall. -- ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI
Staff cleaning up after sprinklers went off at JEM shopping mall. -- ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI
Sprinklers in JEM shopping mall triggered this afternoon, resulting in water cascading down inside the building. -- PHOTO: COURTESY OF MAY CHUA 
Sprinklers in JEM shopping mall triggered this afternoon, resulting in water cascading down inside the building. -- PHOTO: COURTESY OF MAY CHUA 
Sprinklers in JEM shopping mall triggered this afternoon, resulting in water cascading down inside the building. -- PHOTO: COURTESY OF MAY CHUA 
Sprinklers that unexpectedly went off at the JEM mall on Tuesday afternoon damaged goods and forced some tenants to shutter for the day to clean up. -- PHOTO: COURTESY OF MAY CHUA 

SINGAPORE - Sprinklers that unexpectedly went off at the JEM mall on Tuesday afternoon damaged goods and forced some tenants to shutter for the day to clean up.

The mall also cordoned off a section of the ground floor until about 4pm to clear away the water, while some escalators remained switched off into the evening.

A JEM spokesman said that water sprinklers on the atrium side of the mall "were triggered" at about 12.15pm, causing water to reach some areas on levels B1, 1 and 2 as well as some tenants' shops. The spokesman did not say what caused the sprinklers to go off.

"The mall put up a cordon around the area, so there was no foot traffic until about 3.30pm," said the 25-year-old.

A staff of Ogawa, which makes massage chairs and products, said about 10 chairs and 60 smaller massage equipment were damaged by the water. The company has an ongoing display at the atrium on the ground floor of the mall.

At least three shops - including Lowry's Farm, Poh Heng Jewellery and Soo Kee Jewellery - said they would remain closed for at least a day to clean up.

JEM, which opened nearly a year ago, was in the news because of two incidents of fire last August. The mall was also closed for nearly two weeks last September after the first-floor ceiling of the mall collapsed due to a burst water pipe.

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