Burst pipe floods casino entrance
By Rennie Whang
The New Paper
Thursday, Oct 27, 2011
SHE had stepped outside the casino at Resorts World Sentosa (RWS) on Sunday to buy 4D.
When she returned 20 minutes later, she was surprised to be redirected to the VIP entrance.
Miss Tan, 32, who declined to give her full name, isn't a high-roller or a celebrity.
So she was wondering why - until she saw the water.
The main entrance of the gambling hall was flooded, with water levels just below the ankle.
Said the customer services officer: "There was quite a lot of water, all the way up to the membership counter.
"People couldn't walk in and out of the casino freely. I had time, so I could walk one big round to the VIP entrance.
"First-timers might not have been able to find their way, but there were staff members around to guide them."
An RWS spokesman said that water leakage had resulted from a sprinkler pipe that had burst at the ceiling of the casino's main entrance. That area was closed for upgrading when it happened.
The leakage was detected at 2.40pm.
In addition to the main entrance, the areas around the drop-off and valet points in the basement carpark were flooded as well.
Another casino guest who wanted to be known only as Mr Tan said he had just stepped inside the Orchid Club when he realised something was wrong.
Jackpot machines down
Many of the jackpot machines had been shut down in the room, reserved for Singaporeans and permanent residents.
Said Mr Tan, 36, a marketing manager who described himself as a regular at the casino: "There was some commotion, a lot of staff members just walking around and looking for contractors.
"Some staff were rolling barrels which looked like oil drums to the toilet. I think they contained water, which was meant to be thrown away."
Chinese evening newspaper Shin Min Daily News reported that water was swept from the casino entrance to outside the building, resulting in the closure of two lanes for traffic, one of which was for valet use and the other for taxis.
With these lanes closed, many taxis had to share a lane with private cars, leading to a traffic bottleneck.
According to the RWS spokesman, power at the Orchid Club had to be shut for safety reasons. Normal operations resumed within an hour, the spokesman added.
Miss Tan said that staff members also drove industrial-sized vacuum cleaners to suck up the water. She said: "Thankfully, the water was clear and there was no smell."
Miss Tan's friend, who had stayed inside the casino that afternoon, did not even know about the flood.
RWS has apologised for the inconvenience.
"We are fine-tuning the procedures for upgrading works to prevent any re-occurrence," said the spokesman.
This article was first published in The New Paper.
By Rennie Whang
The New Paper
Thursday, Oct 27, 2011
SHE had stepped outside the casino at Resorts World Sentosa (RWS) on Sunday to buy 4D.
When she returned 20 minutes later, she was surprised to be redirected to the VIP entrance.
Miss Tan, 32, who declined to give her full name, isn't a high-roller or a celebrity.
So she was wondering why - until she saw the water.
The main entrance of the gambling hall was flooded, with water levels just below the ankle.
Said the customer services officer: "There was quite a lot of water, all the way up to the membership counter.
"People couldn't walk in and out of the casino freely. I had time, so I could walk one big round to the VIP entrance.
"First-timers might not have been able to find their way, but there were staff members around to guide them."
An RWS spokesman said that water leakage had resulted from a sprinkler pipe that had burst at the ceiling of the casino's main entrance. That area was closed for upgrading when it happened.
The leakage was detected at 2.40pm.
In addition to the main entrance, the areas around the drop-off and valet points in the basement carpark were flooded as well.
Another casino guest who wanted to be known only as Mr Tan said he had just stepped inside the Orchid Club when he realised something was wrong.
Jackpot machines down
Many of the jackpot machines had been shut down in the room, reserved for Singaporeans and permanent residents.
Said Mr Tan, 36, a marketing manager who described himself as a regular at the casino: "There was some commotion, a lot of staff members just walking around and looking for contractors.
"Some staff were rolling barrels which looked like oil drums to the toilet. I think they contained water, which was meant to be thrown away."
Chinese evening newspaper Shin Min Daily News reported that water was swept from the casino entrance to outside the building, resulting in the closure of two lanes for traffic, one of which was for valet use and the other for taxis.
With these lanes closed, many taxis had to share a lane with private cars, leading to a traffic bottleneck.
According to the RWS spokesman, power at the Orchid Club had to be shut for safety reasons. Normal operations resumed within an hour, the spokesman added.
Miss Tan said that staff members also drove industrial-sized vacuum cleaners to suck up the water. She said: "Thankfully, the water was clear and there was no smell."
Miss Tan's friend, who had stayed inside the casino that afternoon, did not even know about the flood.
RWS has apologised for the inconvenience.
"We are fine-tuning the procedures for upgrading works to prevent any re-occurrence," said the spokesman.
This article was first published in The New Paper.
