Cracks found in glass ceiling of Kallang Wave

Cracks have appeared in the glass ceiling of the Kallang Wave shopping mall at Singapore Sports Hub - just a month after it opened. The affected area is located above Climb Central, Singapore's tallest indoor climbing wall.

Activities in the area have been suspended since the cracks were found on Monday evening, and the area has been cordoned off.

Visitors yesterday expressed their concern to The Straits Times. There were no warning signs visible, even as shoppers walked in the atrium beneath other glass panels.

Shopper Willy Soo was worried that these could also be affected and possibly fall on someone.

"It's strange that the ceiling would crack so soon after the Hub's opening," said the 34-year-old civil servant, who had planned to try out Climb Central. "It makes me question the rest of the construction. I let my son run around here but now I don't think it's safe."

Climber Joshua Tan, 29, said: "I would have expected better from the Sports Hub given that it's a new and expensive project."

Last night SportsHub CEO Philippe Collin Delavaud confirmed that the upper layer of a double laminated glass skylight had cracked. However, checks by engineers had found it to be structurally safe.

He said the upper layer will be replaced by next week, adding: "It is suspected that the upper layer... inherited material impurities during the toughening process.

"Sports Hub will continue to conduct regular checks of all glass panels in the skylight." The rock climbing wall will resume operations today, said Mr Delavaud, adding that stores at Kallang Wave are not affected by the incident and have remained open for business.

Members of the public who had booked and paid to use the climbing facility on Monday have been offered alternative dates or full refunds.

The 41,000 sq m Kallang Wave mall is part of the $1.3-billion Singapore Sports Hub, which first opened its doors four weeks ago.

Several major tenants of the mall have already opened for business, including fashion giants Forever 21, H&M and Uniqlo, as well as a "sports-themed" FairPrice Xtra hypermarket.

hpeishan@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on July 30, 2014.
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