Air-conditioner bracket and compressor come loose, dangle from 5th floor of Tampines flat

It is a concerning sight — an air-conditioner bracket and compressor dangling precariously — outside a fifth-floor Housing and Development Board (HDB) block in Tampines.

AsiaOne was alerted to the incident at about 2.45pm on Sunday (Sept 13) by a resident from the block.

Photographs of the incident shared with AsiaOne by the resident show the compressor hanging only by its connecting pipes and cables.

Meanwhile, the bracket is partially dislodged and only one of its two arms is still affixed to the facade.

A netting is used to cordon off the ground floor area beneath the stack of flats, while a town council worker, dressed in green shirt, is seen speaking with residents.

At about 3.30pm, a police fast response car is also seen parked near the block.

AsiaOne understands that the relevant agencies have gotten in touch with the flat owner, who will be carrying out urgent rectification works.

Under the Building Control Regulations, flat owners face a maximum fine of $20,000, jail of up to 1 year, or both, if an air conditioning condensing unit and/or its structural supporting system, open panel, frame, and tray fall due to a lack of maintenance.

Flat owners should only engage Building and Construction Authority trained air conditioning unit installers to replace or install their air conditioning condensing units.

In July 2022, the police had to forcibly break into a 10th-floor flat at Block 55 Chai Chee Drive after a similar situation occurred.

In that instance, the owners were not around and the police had to effect the entry for safety reasons.

Since January 2022, amendments to the Police Force Act have allowed officers to make forced entry into any place in case of medical emergencies, or to protect people from injury or death.

Prior to the amendments, police officers were not allowed to make forced entry into any place even if they hear a person in distress but believe that no crime has been committed.

在淡滨尼一栋五楼的建屋发展局（HDB）组屋外，一个空调支架和压缩机摇摇欲坠地悬挂着，这景象令人担忧。

AsiaOne于周日（9月13日）下午2点45分左右接到该楼居民的报警。

居民向AsiaOne提供的事故照片显示，压缩机仅靠连接管道和电缆悬挂着。

与此同时，支架部分脱落，其两个臂中只有一个还固定在立面上。

一排公寓楼下的底层区域被网围了起来，一名身穿绿色衬衫的市政工作人员正在与居民交谈。

下午 3 点 30 分左右，一辆警用快速反应车也停在了该街区附近。

据AsiaOne了解，相关机构已与该公寓业主取得联系，业主将进行紧急整改工作。

根据《建筑管制条例》，如果空调冷凝机组和/或其结构支撑系统、敞开的面板、框架和托盘因缺乏维护而掉落，公寓业主将面临最高 20,000 美元的罚款、最高 1 年的监禁，或两者并罚。

公寓业主应仅聘请经新加坡建设局培训的空调机组安装人员更换或安装空调冷凝机组。

2022 年 7 月，类似情况发生后，警方不得不强行破门进入柴智路 55 座 10 楼的一间公寓。

当时，房主不在家，出于安全考虑，警方不得不强行进入。

自 2022 年 1 月起，《警察法》修正案允许警员在发生医疗紧急情况或保护人们​​免受伤害或死亡时强行进入任何场所。

在修正案出台之前，即使警察听到有人遇险，但认为没有发生犯罪行为，他们也不允许强行进入任何地方。