Older than Singapore itself, the tree stood tall for over 60 years, spreading its roots in Pearl’s Hill City Park at Chinatown. The Purple Millettia grew to be eight storeys tall, standing on a slope located near Pearl Bank Apartments.
It was in the early hours of Sunday morning that the ancient tree heard its death knell and went down with a (literal) bang, slamming onto the condo in Chinatown. The New Paper reported that at least six units from the fourth to sixth storey were damaged by the massive tree when it fell at 4.30am.
Colossal damage was seen on the building’s exterior as the impact bent window grilles and parts of the tree smashed through glass windows.
Residents have been told by the National Parks Board (NParks) to take note of the damage and submit claims to them for repairs. Unusually strong winds are believed to have attributed to the tree fall. Fortunately, no one was hurt in the freak accident — though it must have frightened more than several residents of the condo.
According to Richard Irving, a resident of Pearl Bank Apartments, chainsaw crews were deployed at 8am to cut the tree down. Removal operations were only completed yesterday afternoon.
Estimated to be about 68 years old, the tree is is older than the condo itself, which was built in 1976.
