‘I heard some gagging’: Peak-hour passengers avoid MRT cabin like the plague after seeing vomit splatters on floor
A passenger wondered why an MRT cabin seemed “really empty” during the morning rush hour on Oct 6 and quickly discovered the reason.
As she moved towards the cabin after boarding the Marina Bay-bound North-South Line train at Sembawang station at about 8am, Stomper Lydia was hit with a pungent odour.
On the floor were splatters of what looked like vomit, with lots of space around them as commuters avoided the area like the plague.
Despite the smell, Lydia noticed that some passengers chose to stay put. “Surprisingly, a few passengers could withstand the revolting sight and smell and continued to sit in their seats with the vomit in front of them,” she recounted.
Others who boarded the train after her immediately turned away. She recalled seeing a few unknowing passengers “do a quick U-turn” the moment they entered the cabin and saw the vomit.
They subsequently hurried into other cabins.
Meanwhile, those within the vicinity of the affected cabin had no choice but to deal with the smell.
“I heard some gagging sounds from passengers with more sensitive noses,” Lydia told Stomp.
Smell ‘not overwhelmingly strong’
When asked to describe the smell, Lydia said: “The smell was thankfully not overwhelmingly strong, but definitely can smell that sour and rancid smell linked to vomit.”
She supposed this was why passengers in the neighbouring cabins could stay there and withstand it.
However, she still saw people taking out their masks or tissue paper to cover their noses.
It is unclear how or when the vomit appeared on the MRT, but Lydia observed an apparent attempt to clean it up, as there were pieces of tissue on the splatters.
She did not think that anyone reported the matter due to the morning rush and time constraints.
Thinking back to the incident, Lydia remarked: “The person who vomited is likely feeling unwell. So, I hope the person is fine now and was able to seek help.
“I feel it was kind of an amusing sight, with both ends packed full of passengers while there is this empty, quiet oasis cabin right there. It reminded me of how Moses parted the Red Sea.”
Stomp has reached out to SMRT for comment.
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