19-9-2024 (SINGAPORE) The Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) Circle Line in Singapore has been plagued by two consecutive service disruptions, leaving commuters frustrated and authorities scrambling for answers. SMRT, the line’s operator, has pledged to work closely with the Land Transport Authority (LTA) and original equipment manufacturers to investigate the root causes of these incidents, particularly focusing on a fire at Kim Chuan Depot and its potential connection to an earlier power failure.
The trouble began on Tuesday evening, 17 September, when the Circle Line experienced a traction power failure during peak hours, causing significant delays. The situation escalated the following night when a fire broke out in a power supply compartment at Kim Chuan Depot, leading to widespread power outages across the line. This resulted in some trains being unable to operate and affected lighting within the carriages.
In response to these challenges, SMRT took to social media on Thursday morning to provide an update on their recovery efforts. The transport operator revealed that their engineering team had worked tirelessly through the night in collaboration with the LTA and equipment manufacturers to develop a comprehensive restoration plan. This strategy aimed to ensure a stable power supply and smooth operations for the Thursday morning commute.
A key part of the recovery process involved successfully isolating the affected power supply compartment from the rest of the network. However, SMRT emphasised that their work is far from over. The company announced its intention to continue a joint investigation with the LTA and OEM partners Siemens and IDEAL to determine the precise cause of the fire and to assess whether the two incidents are interconnected.
The transport operator has extended its apologies to passengers who faced extended journey times over the past two evenings. Similarly, the LTA issued a statement on Tuesday night, committing to investigate the cause of the initial traction power failure and to evaluate the adequacy of SMRT’s service restoration measures.
