SINGAPORE: Condominium residents and hotel guests staying along Jiak Kim Street, where an unexploded World War II bomb was found last week, have vacated the area ahead of a planned detonation of the war relic on Monday (Nov 18).
The authorities said they first learned of the bomb on Nov 12, after it was discovered during excavation works at the construction site.
The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) Explosive Ordnance Disposal team determined the war relic to be a 50kg WWII aerial bomb. The team assessed it as being unsafe to move and and that it had to be disposed of on-site.
Police cordon seen at Jiak Kim Street on Nov 18, 2019. (Photo: Try Sutrisno Foo)
All residents at Mirage Tower, Rivergate and Tribeca by the Waterfront condominiums and guests staying in selected rooms at the Grand Copthorne Waterfront hotel were told to vacate their homes and rooms from 8am to 6pm.
Condo residents were seen leaving their buildings ahead of the 8am deadline.
Residents exit the Mirage Tower condominium along Jiak Kim Street on Nov 18, 2019. (Photo: Try Sutrisno Foo)
The police informed affected residents that a temporary holding area had been set up at the nearby River Valley Primary School. They said residents would be informed when they could return home.
The police also told residents to leave their windows open, or slightly ajar, and to secure items in their home.
“This is a precautionary measure as the possibility of windows shattering due to pressure differences is unlikely,” they said.
Loud sounds may also be heard in the area during the controlled explosion, the police added.
A notice at Grand Copthorne Waterfront lobby advising guests to vacate their rooms. (Photo: Try Sutrisno Foo)
In a notice posted at its lobby, the Grand Copthorne Waterfront hotel informed guests staying on the fifth floor (room series 15-17) and seventh to 30th floors (room series 20-26) to vacate the building from 8am to 6pm.
Police close off Kim Seng Road, near Jiak Kim Street, on Nov 18, 2019. (Photo: Try Sutrisno Foo)
Several roads and a portion of the Singapore River were closed during the disposal period. These include parts of River Valley Green, Kim Seng Road and Jiak Kim Street.
“Please do not enter the above areas during this period,” said the police, adding that they will provide an update on their social media pages once the affected areas have been reopened.
During the road closures, access will only be granted to police, SAF and emergency vehicles. Traffic police officers will be deployed along the affected roads to assist and redirect motorists, the police said.
Map indicating the roads affected by the on-site disposal of a World War II bomb on Nov 18, 2019. (Image: Singapore Police Force)
