Tree hits HDB block near Old Airport Road

Windows shatter from impact, but no injuries reported; town council helping with repairs

One of the shattered windows in Block 97 Jalan Dua. A resident also reported that his kitchen cabinet was damaged. The tree being removed by the Marine Parade Town Council's horticulture contractor. There were no reported injuries. Strong winds and h
Strong winds and heavy rain early yesterday morning toppled the tree, shattering the windows of at least four units in the HDB block in Jalan Dua, while a pavilion at the foot of the block also had its roof crushed. PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO
One of the shattered windows in Block 97 Jalan Dua. A resident also reported that his kitchen cabinet was damaged. The tree being removed by the Marine Parade Town Council's horticulture contractor. There were no reported injuries. Strong winds and h
One of the shattered windows in Block 97 Jalan Dua. A resident also reported that his kitchen cabinet was damaged. PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO
One of the shattered windows in Block 97 Jalan Dua. A resident also reported that his kitchen cabinet was damaged. The tree being removed by the Marine Parade Town Council's horticulture contractor. There were no reported injuries. Strong winds and h
The tree being removed by the Marine Parade Town Council's horticulture contractor. There were no reported injuries. PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO

An eight-storey-high tree in the Old Airport Road area toppled onto a Housing Board block in the early hours yesterday, shattering the windows of at least four flats.

The tree, near Block 97 Jalan Dua, fell at around 5am amid a heavy downpour and strong winds across the island.

About 20 units up to the eighth storey were affected, while a pavilion at the foot of the block also had its roof crushed.

In response to queries, a spokesman for the Marine Parade Town Council said that there were no reported injuries.

The spokesman added that its horticulture contractor was sent to the scene immediately. The contractor has since removed the tree and cleared the debris.

"We are currently liaising with the affected residents and assisting them to repair the damage," the spokesman said.

A 64-year-old resident told Chinese-language newspaper Lianhe Wanbao yesterday that she heard a loud boom from the window at about 5am.

Ms Zeng Yuhua, who lives on the ground floor, said: "I thought it was an accident and did not think too much of it. I woke up at about 8am and realised that a tree had fallen.

"I wanted to check the situation outside. That was when I realised that my back door was blocked by fallen tree branches."

Another resident, who lives on the fifth storey, said that his kitchen windows were shattered.

His kitchen cabinet was also not spared by the falling branches.

The 52-year-old warehouse manager said: "I heard the sound of glass shattering in the morning. When I got up to check what had happened, I was shocked by the scene in the kitchen.

"My kitchen cabinet had dropped to the ground, and the glass bowls inside it broke too, with the pieces scattered all over the floor."

He added that the damage was expected to cost him about $2,000.

Mountbatten MP Lim Biow Chuan shared two photos of the fallen tree in a Facebook post yesterday afternoon.

He wrote: "Oops. The wind was really strong yesterday. Tree was uprooted and crashed onto some flats."

He said that he visited some of the residents yesterday morning and also asked the town council to help them with the repairs.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on April 04, 2019, with the headline Tree hits HDB block near Old Airport Road. Subscribe