Water that had been accumulating for some time inside the bracket of a ventilation duct had caused the entire thing to fall on two moviegoers more than three months ago at the Shaw Theatres movie hall in Serangoon Central.
The Building and Construction Authority, or BCA, revealed that finding today, saying that a significant amount of water had been accumulating in the insulation bracket of the air conditioning and ventilation duct due to “excessive” condensation that was not expected. The weight of the water had caused the duct to give way and fall onto the two individuals who were watching a movie, it added. The duo was later taken to the hospital.
“The findings indicate that: a significant amount of water had accumulated in the layer of acoustic material surrounding the [air conditioning and mechanical ventilation] dropper duct, due to unforeseen excessive condensation,” the authority said in a statement. The insulation bracket was meant to regulate the temperature inside the ventilation duct so as to prevent condensation. However, the “unforeseen excessive condensation over a sustained period” had “overloaded” the brackets, the authority said.
BCA did not announce penalties for the Nex shopping mall, where the movie hall was located, but said that it would issue an advisory on the importance of building maintenance.
Other cinema operators, including Golden Village, were later ordered to have their ventilation ducts checked “in the interests of public safety.”
“Based on the checks in other cinemas, including BCA’s independent checks, no such excessive condensation and similar dropper ducts were observed,” BCA said.
Photos that were circulating online when the incident happened showed the two injured moviegoers clutching their heads and being wheeled on a gurney by emergency responders.
BCA officers arrived later that evening to conduct checks before Shaw announced the temporary closure of its Nex outlet, which is still closed until further notice.
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