Yishun corridor used as storage space for furniture, junk and PMD 'for many years'
Common corridor or personal storage space?
Stomper Anonymous expressed safety concerns over the cluttered ninth-floor corridor at Block 802 Yishun Ring Road.
He shared a video showing numerous items occupying the space, including outside the lifts.
Writing to Stomp, Nee Soon Town Council and the Singapore Civil Defence Force, Anonymous said: "I am writing to raise an urgent safety concern regarding excessive clutter and unsafe practices along the HDB corridor.
"Apparently, these neighbours have been cluttering our corridors for many years. The corridor has been used as a storage space for bulky items, furniture (including some junk) and most critically, at least one personal mobility device (PMD) is being parked and charged in the common area.
"This situation is extremely alarming for the following reasons:
"🚑 Emergency Access Blocked - As seen in recent news reports, paramedics have been obstructed along HDB corridors during emergencies. In the current state, stretchers and rescue equipment would not be able to move through promptly.
"🔥 PMD Fire Hazard - It is well documented that PMDs, when parked or charged along corridors, have caused fires in HDB estates. Should this PMD ignite, the fire will block the only staircase exit, leaving at least two households without an escape route.
"🚷 Violation of Fire Safety Rules - SCDF and HDB have repeatedly issued advisories against storing items or parking PMDs in corridors as this accelerates fire spread and obstructs evacuation.
👵 Accessibility Concerns - The current clutter severely inconveniences elderly residents, wheelchair users, and families with young children.
"This is not just a matter of inconsiderate behaviour but a direct threat to life and property."
In his email, the Stomper urged the authorities to "conduct an immediate inspection of the affected corridor", enforce strict removal of the PMD and all obstructive items", and "issue strong warnings or penalties to the household(s) involved".
He added: "I sincerely hope urgent action will be taken before a preventable tragedy occurs. We do not wish to be another statistic of HDB fire victims."
In response to a Stomp query, a spokeswoman for Nee Soon Town Council said it is aware of the clutter.
"We will be liaising with the residents involved to remove items placed at the lift lobby," she told Stomp on Oct 13.
"Residents have also been advised to keep their PMDs within their units and to complete the removal of these items by this month.
"The town council will closely monitor the situation following this engagement and will not hesitate to take serious actions for any non-compliance thereafter to ensure the safety and accessibility of the common areas."
