Singapore Police Get Puff‑in‑Control for a Freaky Air‑Con “Sky‑Perch”
When the police in Singapore are called to a 10th‑floor HDB unit, you’d expect a thief or a drunk. What they actually had to handle this week was an air‑con condenser hanging at the edge of a balcony! The job? Safety, rescue, and a quick break‑in when the owners were N/A.
What Happened
- Location: Blk 55, Chai Chee, HDB flat on the 10th floor.
- Witnesses: Neighbors alerted the Police Force after spotting the dangling unit.
- Police Response: Arrived Wednesday, 20 July, at ~1 pm to fence off the area below.
- Access: The elderly couple (sixty‑plus) were not home, so officers had to force‑entry according to local news.
Inside the Backyard Break‑In
Neighbors Sapia (69) and Cai (provision‑store owner) gave us the inside scoop.
- Sapia said he knew the couple rarely came back after the pandemic and had never seen them in three years. A cleaner even knocked on their door asking where they were.
- Both claimed a locksmith was called to unlock the door when the couple were out.
- Pictures from the incident show officers standing beside a gate and a trolley stocked with tools.
- Cai reported police told him not to use his shop’s back door during the operation and that they put a barricade at the rear of the flat to keep walking residents safe.
Legal Power Behind the Forced Entry
From January this year, the Police Force Act gives officers the right to break into any premises during a medical or safety emergency. Before this, they couldn’t do that even if someone was in distress.
Penalties for the Air‑Con Mishap
Let’s talk numbers:
- Under the Building Control Act: Up to $5,000 fine or 6‑month jail for improper air‑con installation.
- Under the BMSMA: Up to $10,000 fine or 1‑year jail if the unit falls because of poor maintenance.
Past “Cordoned‑Up” Air‑Con Stories
It’s not the first time Singapore police had to swoop in for a dangling condenser. In December 2020, the internet went wild with photos from Blk 340, Chou Chu Kang Loop, where the unit was hanging by pipes and brackets. The town council and HDB were called in then as well.
Bottom line: Singapore police are now equipped—both legally and in spirit—to turn a hummingbird‑sized air‑con into a potential death‑trap. And they do it with a dash of heroism and a sprinkle of street‑wise practicality.
