Part of false ceiling collapses at Golden Mile Complex

Part of a false ceiling near the entrance of Golden Mile Complex in Beach Road collapsed on Friday evening.

A large section of ceiling boards affixed to a wooden frame, with nails exposed, and other debris were seen strewn across a section of the steps near the taxi stand, but no injuries were reported.

An eyewitness told Chinese-language daily Lianhe Wanbao that she had heard the sound of something breaking shortly before the ceiling area collapsed.

Electrical wires were seen exposed in the gap of the ceiling, according to photos shared by passers-by. A video of the incident circulating online showed large pieces of the ceiling falling suddenly. When contacted, a spokesman for the Singapore Civil Defence Force said that it was not activated for any incident at the shopping centre.

Both Wanbao and Chinese-language paper Shin Min Daily News reported that the area where the incident took place was cordoned off and workers were seen clearing the rubble later in the evening.

Workers were also seen using torchlights to examine the part of the ceiling from where the boards had fallen.

Wanbao reported that Friday's incident and another episode last year, where the ceiling in a women's washroom on the second floor of Golden Mile Complex collapsed, have raised safety concerns among retailers and patrons at the mall.