Residents of various HDB flats across Singapore have experienced cracking floor tiles over the last few days, with cases reported at Toa Payoh, Fernvale, and Woodlands.
Stomp contributor Bala, who lives at Block 407B Fernvale Road, was watching television in his living room on Sunday (Jan 14) night when he started hearing a ‘popping’ sound coming from his floor.
At first, he thought that the noise was coming from the unit below his.
Concerned about the sound, he went down to warn his neighbour.
As they were talking, the next-door resident overheard their conversation and told them that he too heard the ‘popping’ sounds and there was nothing to worry about.
Bala then went back to his house but the sounds became increasingly louder.
It went on for about three to four minutes, as the tiles on the floor started ‘swelling’, before cracking.
Bala said : “My children were all panicking. They thought the whole ceiling was going to come down. I have never encountered this before.”
Bala contacted the Ang Mo Kio Town Council the following morning (Jan 15) and also called the estate manager who visited his unit to survey the damage.
He added: “She (the estate manager) said that she will speak to a contractor about the tiles. She got workers to help us clear the broken tiles.
“The broken tiles have sharp edges so they can be dangerous. In the meantime, there are parts of the floor which are bare.”
Stomp contributor Eve also encountered the same problem in her flat at Woodlands Drive 75.
She told Stomp that she and her husband were talking to a neighbour about their cracked floor tiles on Sunday (Jan 14) afternoon.
After the discussion, the couple headed back to their living room and started hearing a cracking sound.
It lasted for about 10 to 15 minutes and became progressively louder.
Eve said: “I was walking to the kitchen when the tiles ballooned and then burst.
“The sounds were quite soft at first. We realised later it was the sound of the tiles getting detached from the floor.”
After the incident, Eve spoke to her neighbour and discovered that they were not the only ones affected.
According to Eve, over 12 units in the area were affected and residents have since formed a WhatsApp group.
Upon inspecting some discarded tiles from the units, they realised that some of the tiles had only been partially glued.
Said Eve: “We have arranged to meet the MP (Member of Parliament) tonight. Most of the residents here are second-hand owners, so we don’t know when the warranty will end.
“All these could be due to poor workmanship.
“My house’s tiles were done through an HDB-approved contractor.”
Stomp contributor Shui also took pictures of a pile of shattered tiles at the corridor of his block in Toa Payoh.
Shui said: “Tiles falling apart! Please be careful.”
Stomp has contacted the relevant authorities for more details on the incidents.
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