Rubbish catches fire at Orchard Plaza

A pile of rubbish caught fire in the carpark of Orchard Plaza yesterday evening, sparking frenzied efforts by tenants to extinguish it. The Singapore Civil Defence Force said a security guard put out the fire before firefighters arrived. It is investigating the cause.

This is the second incident at Orchard Plaza in two weeks. Earlier this month, a slab of concrete fell from a pedestrian bridge linking the mall to Cuppage Plaza. No one was injured in either incident.

Be patient, vigilant in Orchard during Xmas

The public should be prepared to deal with large crowds and heightened security in the Orchard area in the Christmas period, said the police.

They said yesterday that bags and personal items may be subjected to police checks, and urged tolerance as the large number of people means crowd dispersal is likely to be slow. Crowd-control barricades and signs will be put up to facilitate dispersal.

They also warned people to be on the alert for pickpockets, molesters and unruly crowds.

PUB shuts down water pipeline for repair

National water agency PUB has shut down a water pipeline along Seletar Expressway to repair a leak, expected to be done by the end of the year.

The pipeline channels water to Punggol, Tampines, Pasir Ris, Loyang, Changi, Simei and Bedok. Water will be supplied to these areas through alternate pipelines, said PUB. Some people may experience lower water pressure during peak hours. They can call PUB's 24-hour hotline on 1800-2255-782 for help.