SINGAPORE - An alarming failure in communication and safety protocols resulted in a nearly two-hour disruption of Circle Line services during the busy evening commute on September 17, as reported by transport operator SMRT.

The chaos unfolded amidst growing commuter frustration, with the Circle Line disruption coinciding with an ongoing outage on the East-West Line, affecting service between Boon Lay and Queenstown stations.

What Went Wrong on September 17?

The issue began when a circuit breaker in the traction safety shutdown system (TSSS) unexpectedly tripped. SMRT's maintenance team acted quickly to reset the breaker but, concerned about a potential recurrence, decided to replace the faulty main circuit breaker, known as MCB37.

In a move that would prove disastrous, the team powered down the TSSS cubicle as a safety precaution. This action inadvertently caused another critical breaker, MCB33, to trip - leading to a total loss of traction power across the Circle Line.

SMRT acknowledged that standard operating procedures (SOP) were not followed. “Our protocol mandates that the maintenance team must obtain clearance for any corrective work during operational hours to ensure safety,” they stated. Instead, the maintenance team, in their eagerness to resolve the technical issue, skipped this essential step.

The repercussions of this oversight were significant. Not only did the trains ground to a halt, but the process to restore service took longer than expected, as all trains had to be accounted for before normal operations could resume. Commuters were advised to seek alternate transportation methods, including other MRT lines and bus services.

Multi-Agency Response

SMRT's commitment to safety was further emphasized as their control center dispatched in-train and station announcements, though these were interrupted briefly due to a technical glitch. Fortunately, by the end of the day, all train lines were back in operation, thanks to the hard work of SMRT engineers and their partners from the Land Transport Authority (LTA) and OEM engineers, who worked tirelessly to resolve the issues throughout the night.

Trouble Continues: A Fire Incident on September 18

To add to the woes, just a day later, on September 18, a fire broke out in a TSSS cubicle at the Kim Chuan Depot, causing immediate chaos once again. The emergency shutdown system activated automatically, leading to another comprehensive power blackout across the network. Remarkably, the fire was extinguished promptly, and the Singapore Civil Defence Force confirmed the area was safe shortly thereafter.

Traction power was restored within just 10 minutes, with full train services resuming shortly after. However, this incident also raised concerns, prompting a thorough investigation into the cause of the fire. SMRT is taking proactive measures, collaborating with the LTA to reassess TSSS design and strengthen safety protocols.

What’s Next?

With the Formula One Grand Prix weekend approaching, the urgency to ensure safe and reliable train operations intensifies. SMRT is not only addressing these incidents but is also expediting the procurement of a new TSSS cubicle with advanced features to improve system resilience.

This series of disruptions serves as a crucial reminder of the importance of strict adherence to safety procedures in public transport. As SMRT works to enhance their systems and protocols, commuters can only hope for a smoother, safer journey in future.

Stay tuned as we continue to bring you updates on the ongoing investigations and improvements in Singapore's rail transport safety systems!