Debated in Parliament on 29 Jan 2015.
Er Dr Lee Bee Wah asked the Minister for Transport in the light of the recent underground train incident in Washington where one person died and more than 80 were treated for smoke inhalation after a wiring short-circuit (a) what safeguards are in place in our MRT system should this happen in our train tunnels; (b) whether there are rescue procedures to evacuate trapped passengers in a similar situation; and (c) whether simulated exercises have been held to test our readiness for such eventualities.
Mdm Speaker, let me assure Members of the House that our MRT system is designed to protect commuters in case of fire or smoke in the tunnels or trains. Our underground MRT stations and tunnels are equipped with smoke extraction and tunnel ventilation fans to expel smoke and to supply fresh air in the event of a fire. The materials used for our trains conform to strict fire safety requirements so that smoke emission and the level of smoke toxicity are minimised during any fire outbreak.
LTA's Code of Practice on Incident Management requires our rail operators to have plans to ensure passenger safety during emergencies and to ensure that their officers are trained to execute these plans promptly and efficiently. For instance, in the event of a fire or smoke in the MRT tunnel, the operators will have to alert SCDF immediately and route affected trains to the nearest station, away from the source of the fire or smoke. If passengers have to detrain onto the tracks, the operators are required to activate the tunnel lights and ventilation system to provide a safe evacuation path.
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The operators' readiness to handle such emergencies is tested regularly by LTA and relevant agencies, such as the SCDF and SPF, through checks as well as table-top and simulated exercises. For example, in August 2013, LTA conducted a joint exercise to test SBS Transit's readiness to respond to an incident of smoke in the tunnels of the North East Line. The learning points were then shared with the rail operators to improve their emergency preparedness.
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