False alarm as sprinklers accidentally triggered at tunnel

SINGAPORE: Normal traffic conditions resumed at the Marina Coastal Expressway (MCE) after sprinklers accidentally triggered today, according to the Singapore Land Transport Authority (LTA).
The water-based fire-fighting system along the MCE eastbound tunnel, before the exit to Fort Road, was accidentally activated at 12.57pm, LTA said in its Facebook page.
The authority said that after verifying that there was no fire, the system was immediately switched off, and normal traffic conditions resumed at 1.06pm.
"LTA is investigating the cause of the incident. We apologise for the inconvenience caused to motorists," it said.
The expressway comprises a 3.5-km underground tunnel, while the rest of the road is at grade or depressed, with a view of the Singapore Strait.
The underground tunnel includes a 420-metre stretch under the seabed, 150 metres away from the Marina Barrage.
The Straits Times reported that this was the second reported incident of sprinklers being accidentally turned on in the tunnel.
A similar incident occurred in April 2015.
In the earlier case, the sprinklers were accidentally triggered by a contractor who was undertaking cleaning and maintenance work on the tunnel wall cladding, it said. — Bernama