Singapore, Malaysia test emergency response to simulated fire on stranded RTS Link train

The joint field training exercise involved a firefighting operation and casualty evacuation. It comes ahead of the cross-border rail service’s opening in February 2027.

The interior of an RTS Link train. (Photo: CNA/Zamzahuri Abas)

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JOHOR BAHRU: Emergency responders from Singapore and Malaysia put their cross-border coordination and rescue protocols to the test in an exercise simulating a fire on board a stranded Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link train.

The joint field training exercise, held on Tuesday (Oct 27), involved firefighting operations, medical triage and casualty evacuation, as well as coordinating the deployment of emergency personnel across the border.

It comes as the cross-border rail service prepares to begin passenger operations in February 2027, after its opening was pushed back from the end of this year.

The exercise concluded with a ceremony at the RTS Wadi Hana Depot in Johor Bahru on Wednesday, attended by Singapore's Second Minister for Home Affairs and Foreign Affairs Sim Ann and Malaysian Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.

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Malaysia Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail (right) and Singapore’s Second Minister for Home Affairs Sim Ann (left) attend the closing ceremony of the RTS Link Malaysia-Singapore Cross-Border Joint Field Training Exercise (FTX) 2026 at the Wadi Hana depot in Johor Bahru on Oct 28, 2026. (Photo: CNA/Zamzahuri Abas)

Ms Sim said the exercise demonstrated effective communication, deployment and command and control among participating agencies.

Malaysia's Operations Centre at Bukit Chagar and Singapore's Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) Integrated Operations Centre “maintained real-time communication” throughout the simulated incident, allowing both sides to share information and coordinate their response, Ms Sim said.

Each RTS Link train will carry more than 600 passengers and run at short intervals, with each trip – between two countries, “each with its own laws, agencies and command structures” – taking only five minutes, she noted.

“An emergency on board a crowded and fast-moving train leaves little room for error. By executing the response plans correctly and swiftly, we will be better prepared to save lives, minimise damage and restore normalcy quickly,” said Ms Sim.

She said the exercise provided an opportunity for agencies to identify areas for improvement before the service begins operations.

"An exercise is valuable not because everything goes perfectly. It is valuable because it allows us to learn safely, candidly and together," she said.

Mr Saifuddin said these exercises foster trust between both countries and would better prepare agencies to deal with disruptions to the train service.

“A disruption to the RTS Link may no longer come from a single direction. Physical attacks, cyber intrusions, technical failures, and information crises can arrive at the same time and across borders,” he said.

“Technology tells us what is happening, but trust decides how fast, how confidently, and how decisively we act together when crisis strikes,” he added.

Footage of the exercise shown to reporters showed a train stalling in the middle of the track above the Straits of Johor due to a “fire”.

Casualties with burn injuries were stretchered out by emergency responders while passengers who were uninjured were escorted out.

The exercise involved several Malaysian agencies, including the Royal Malaysia Police, Fire and Rescue Department, Ministry of Health and Malaysian Armed Forces.

Singapore was represented by ICA, the Singapore Police Force and Singapore Civil Defence Force.

It followed a tabletop exercise in September, during which officers from both countries reviewed emergency response procedures covering fires, medical emergencies, natural hazards and security incidents.

The 4km RTS Link will connect Woodlands North in Singapore with Bukit Chagar in Johor Bahru.

Designed to ease congestion at the Causeway, one of the world's busiest land border crossings, the rail link will be able to carry up to 10,000 passengers per hour in each direction.

Customs, immigration and quarantine facilities will be co-located at both stations, allowing passengers to clear both countries' immigration checks before boarding.

Earlier this month, authorities from both countries announced that passenger services would be delayed until February 2027, as more time was needed to complete testing, obtain independent safety certification and secure regulatory approvals.

RTS Link’s operator, RTS Operations, expects to complete final system tests and trial runs by Dec 31, with the revised opening date subject to the necessary safety certification and regulatory approvals.

Infrastructure works on both sides of the border are substantially complete, the authorities said.

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此次联合实地训练演习包括消防行动和伤员疏散。演习是在跨境铁路服务于2027年2月开通之前进行的。

RTS Link列车内部。（图片：CNA/Zamzahuri Abas）

这段音频由人工智能工具生成。

新山：新加坡和马来西亚的应急人员进行了一次演习，模拟新山-新加坡捷运系统（RTS）列车发生火灾，以此检验他们的跨境协调和救援协议。

周二（10 月 27 日）举行的联合实地训练演习包括消防行动、医疗分诊和伤员疏散，以及协调跨境紧急救援人员的部署。

此前，跨境铁路服务已从今年年底推迟开通，预计将于 2027 年 2 月开始客运运营。

演习于周三在柔佛州新山瓦迪哈纳RTS船坞举行仪式后结束，新加坡第二内政兼外交部长沈颖和马来西亚内政部长赛夫丁·纳苏蒂安·伊斯梅尔出席了仪式。

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2026年10月28日，马来西亚内政部长赛夫丁·纳苏蒂安·伊斯梅尔（右）和新加坡内政部第二部长沈颖（左）出席在柔佛州新山瓦迪哈纳车厂举行的2026年马来西亚-新加坡跨境联合实地训练演习（FTX）闭幕式。（图片：CNA/Zamzahuri Abas）

沈女士表示，此次演习展现了参与机构之间有效的沟通、部署和指挥控制。

沈女士表示，马来西亚武吉查卡行动中心和新加坡移民与关卡局（ICA）综合行动中心在整个模拟事件中“保持了实时沟通”，使双方能够共享信息并协调应对措施。

她指出，每列RTS Link列车将​​搭载600多名乘客，并且以较短的间隔运行，每次旅程——在两个国家之间，“每个国家都有自己的法律、机构和指挥结构”——只需5分钟。

“在拥挤且高速行驶的列车上发生紧急情况，容错空间非常小。只有正确、迅速地执行应急预案，我们才能更好地挽救生命、最大限度地减少损失并迅速恢复正常秩序，”沈女士说。

她表示，此次演练为各机构提供了一个机会，以便在服务开始运营之前确定需要改进的领域。

“演习的价值不在于一切完美无缺，而在于它能让我们安全、坦诚、共同地学习，”她说。

赛夫丁先生表示，这些演习有助于增进两国之间的信任，并能更好地帮助相关机构应对列车服务中断的情况。

他说：“RTS Link 的中断可能不再来自单一方向。物理攻击、网络入侵、技术故障和信息危机可能同时发生，并且跨越国界。”

“科技告诉我们发生了什么，但信任决定了危机来临时我们能够以多快的速度、多大的信心和多大的决心共同采取行动，”他补充道。

向记者播放的演习画面显示，一列火车因“起火”而停在柔佛海峡上方的铁轨中间。

烧伤伤员由急救人员用担架抬出，未受伤的乘客则被护送离开。

此次演习涉及马来西亚多个机构，包括马来西亚皇家警察、消防救援部门、卫生部和马来西亚武装部队。

新加坡方面由新加坡移民与关卡局、新加坡警察部队和新加坡民防部队代表出席。

此前，两国官员于 9 月份进行了一次桌面演练，演练期间双方审查了涵盖火灾、医疗紧急情况、自然灾害和安全事件的应急响应程序。

这条4公里长的RTS连接线将连接新加坡兀兰北和柔佛新山武吉查卡。

该铁路连接线旨在缓解世界上最繁忙的陆路边境口岸之一——堤道的拥堵状况，每个方向每小时最多可运送 10,000 名乘客。

海关、移民和检疫设施将设在两个车站，乘客可以在登机前完成两国的入境检查。

本月初，两国当局宣布，由于需要更多时间完成测试、获得独立安全认证和取得监管部门批准，客运服务将推迟至 2027 年 2 月。

RTS Link 的运营商 RTS Operations 预计将于 12 月 31 日完成最终系统测试和试运行，修订后的开放日期取决于必要的安全认证和监管批准。

当局表示，边境两侧的基础设施建设已基本完成。

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