Nicoll Highway Collapse
On April 20, 2004, a section of tunnel being built for the Circle Line collapsed, apparently when a retaining wall used in the tunnel's construction gave way. This occurred near what was to become the Nicoll Highway station on the Circle line, not far from the Merdeka Bridge.
The accident left a collapse zone 150 m wide, 100 m long, and 30 m deep. Four workers were killed, with three more injured and one body which was never recovered.
A committee of inquiry found the main contractor Nishimatsu Construction Company and its officers, as well as key Land Transport Authority officers responsible for the collapse. Several other officers and subcontractors were reprimanded and issued warnings in connection with the accident.
As a result of this accident, the first phase of the Circle Line was completed in 2010 instead, allowing Bartley to Marymount stations to open first on 28 May 2009. The affected station has been shifted about 100 m away from the accident site to Republic Avenue. The original station was meant to be the southern terminus of the mooted Bukit Timah MRT Line (now part of the Downtown Line), but it has now been shifted to Promenade.
Read more about this topic: Nicoll Highway MRT Station
Famous quotes containing the words highway and/or collapse:
“The highway leads to Heaven, but each finds his own way.”
—Chinese proverb.
“Newspapers are unable, seemingly, to discriminate between a bicycle accident and the collapse of civilisation.”
—George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950)