Rats spring from ground and dash between diners’ feet at West Coast hawker centre, resident alarmed
A West Coast resident who spotted a handful of rats at a hawker centre was “shocked and scared” when the rodents sprang from cracks in the ground and barrelled towards diners.
Mr J, the resident, said he was at West Coast Market Square for a meal on July 26 when he witnessed the sight at about 8.30pm.
A clip posted on his TikTok account, @jasonexplores, shows a rat burrowing into a crack in the ground, before another rodent springs up from the hole and the pair scurry away.
Another rat is seen running along a drain near waste bins at the tray return area.
One of the rats bolts toward diners seated near the stalls, narrowly missing their feet.
“Someone please save West Coast Hawker Centre,” the on-screen caption read. “They have been running all night long.”
Resident urges authorities to curb ‘rodent infestation’
Speaking to Stomp, Mr J said he was “shocked and scared” upon witnessing the rats “running right on or past people’s feet”.
He stressed that there were more “egregious” moments where the rodents weaved between seated patrons.
While he acknowledged that the rats were a common sight whenever he visited the hawker centre, it was the first time they had gotten so near the diners.
“I hope something can be done about the rodent infestation in West Coast. I have been here for 3 years, it’s gotten so much worse, the rodents are so much more brazen and less scared of people,” he added, saying that he had reported the incident on the OneService app.
In a separate incident, rats were seen feasting on food outside a restaurant along Amoy Street, prompting the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) to look into the matter.
According to an advisory by the National Environment Agency (NEA), rat activity can be prevented by practising proper food storage and cleanliness, and adopting rat proofing measures.
Stomp has reached out to West Coast-Jurong West Town Council for comment.
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