Flood triggers gun concerns

A torrential downpour early yesterday morning flooded an armoury at the National Shooting Centre on Old Choa Chu Kang Road, causing damage to equipment that was estimated to run into thousands of dollars.

Rainwater which had seeped through the windows caused the flood in the armoury, which is partially underground. It was the second time in under five months that this has occurred.

However, Singapore Shooting Association president Michael Vaz brushed off suggestions that the national team's shooting equipment had been stored there, which could have potentially affected the Republic's SEA Games preparations.

"The guns and rounds are all here," he told The Straits Times, pointing to the first level of the armoury, which is one level above the area that was flooded.

The SSA had revealed its six-gold aim during last week's media briefing for the June 5-16 Games.

"There is no consequence to the running of the Games at all," Vaz added.

He also said that training rounds which national shooters require have not been affected.

Singapore Rifle Association (SRA) chairman Loo Woei Harng called for action to prevent a repeat of yesterday's fiasco.

He said: "We need to get permission to seal up all the windows and ensure the effectiveness of pumps installed, so something like that won't happen again."

It took almost four hours to clear up the flood yesterday.

Last December's flood was worse, he said, when it took about 15 hours to pump the water out, with an estimated $150,000 worth of items damaged.

The national shooters were spotted in training at the range yesterday, but none of them were available for comment.

However, there were others who went down to assess the damage to their equipment.

One of those was SRA member Marc Wong, who arrived at 6pm to look at his combat pistol.

"It's wet again and it gets irritating when this has happened twice," said Wong, 51.

"My pistol was in the lowest level of the locker cabinet, so it was affected.

"(But) there is no other choice for me except to leave my pistol here.

"In December last year, I lost close to 250 rounds. They were totally wet and I couldn't fire them."

But he remained upbeat, hoping that there will be "no issue" with his pistol when he takes it to the range again.

ocharles@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on May 04, 2015.
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