Train service disrupted at six Downtown Line stations after maintenance locomotive catches fire

SINGAPORE – Train service was disrupted along a stretch of six Downtown Line stations for more than an hour on the morning of May 24, after a locomotive carrying out maintenance works caught fire.

In a Facebook post, rail operator SBS Transit (SBST) said the tracks between Fort Canning and Mattar stations were closed from the start of service until 7.26am, when train service gradually resumed.

SBST activated bus bridging services between Chinatown and Bedok North stations during the disruption, and regular bus services along that stretch were made free for passengers.

The operator also ran a shuttle train service between MacPherson and Bedok North stations, and urged passengers to take other MRT lines to get to their destinations.

At about 7.40am, station staff at MacPherson station were seen directing passengers exiting the Circle Line away from the staircases leading to the Downtown Line platform for trains towards Expo station.

Passengers were directed upstairs to take the bus services, and a few of them quickly headed in that direction.

Commuters were allowed to go to the Downtown Line platform at about 7.50am to board the train.

SBST said the disruption was due to a locomotive that caught fire at about 1am while carrying out works at Mattar station.

After firefighters from the Singapore Civil Defence Force put out the fire, the tracks had to be closed as the locomotive could not be moved until the heat from its body had dissipated, SBST said.

Rail engineers on site carried out recovery works so that service at the six stations – Fort Canning, Bencoolen, Jalan Besar, Bendemeer, Geylang Bahru and Mattar – could resume as soon as possible, the operator added.

A staff member who felt unwell was taken to hospital.

“He is under observation for smoke inhalation and is reported to be doing well,” SBST said.

The rail operator apologised to commuters for the inconvenience caused, and said it is investigating the cause of the fire.

Student Aditi Bharade was one of the many commuters affected by the disruptions.

The 23-year-old, who was travelling from Ubi to Bencoolen, had to take a bus to MacPherson and then boarded the Circle Line, which added 20 minutes to her travel time.

Another passenger, Ms Jacqueline Santos Cabael, 44, said trains “fully loaded” with passengers were arriving at Bedok North station from Expo station at 10-minute intervals.

The custom care executive, who was heading to Fort Canning, ended up making a U-turn to Tampines West to board the next train after encountering the large crowd waiting at Bedok North. This increased her travel time by 15 minutes, she said.

Correction note: An earlier version of this story wrongly stated that Rochor was one of the six stations affected by track closures. It should be Jalan Besar. The shuttle service ran between MacPherson and Bedok North stations, not Bedok. We are sorry for the errors.