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05 December 2005

Rubbish Chute Fires

I was reading $traits Times this morning when I came across an article about fires in the HDB rubbish chutes. A HDB block in Sembawang has seen as many as 15 cases of fire in a single block in a single year. Sounds to me like a serial repeat offender rather than 15 separate culprits that happen to stay in the same block. I mean in a block of 85 units, 15 separate culprits would mean close to 20% of the blocks population. In other words, 1 person in every (almost lah) 5 household is trying to burn his/her house down? Very unlikely lah. I don't understand why people are so thoughtless when then throw something burning down the rubbish chute.

Why? Got insurance windfall from burning down the common rubbish chute har?

Why? Can jump queue on the HDB upgrading works? "Eh, since you are already repairing the burnt rubbish chute, how about also doing the new elevators, extra toilet and balcony extensions while you are at it?"

While it is not surprising to suspect that the cigarette butt may be the cause of the fire but charcoal embers??!! A bit the stupid right? Dumping burning embers confirm will start fire one what!!

I can understand the carelessness of not putting out the cigarette butt properly before throwing it down the chute (I will get to that later) but burning embers?

What were they thinking??!!

So what else is there in the rubbish chute? BBQ sets? Or wait, maybe I should look at the charcoal from the traditional chinese medicine angle, er.... claypots??

Is is so difficult to dowse the embers with water first to extinguish them first before disposal?

Why? Water very expensive is it? Then pee on it lah! Free one!

But then hor, don't say I neber warn you hor, when you pee, observe safety distance  hor arh bor you kena roasted nuts and/or Afro hair-do downstairs, don't come complain to me hor. I say up front liao hor.

Coming back to the smokers, would it be too much to ask for the smoker to make the extra effort to put out the cigarette properly before disposal? Flush it down the toilet bowl also can what.

For whatever it's worth, I think the perpetrators should be caught and severely dealt with not only are they risking their own and their neighbours' properties, they also risk endangering everybody's lives.

You think what? Christmas coming and so must have a fire place is it? Like those ang moh homes, they have the fire place in the wall and a chimney leading up and so we also must have is it? Please lah... Santa Claus won't come down the rubbish chute on Christmas Eve one lah. ERP too expensive for Santa's sleigh and Primary Production Department would have quarantined the reindeers anyway.

- Voxeros

1. Pam left...
Tuesday, 6 December 2005 8:57 pm
this is a result of modern living, where people don't really care about their neighbours or what might happen if their actions aren't up to scratch. basically, by not being able to identify the culprits, these culprits will continue to do what they do. call it ignorance, call it bystander effect, call it modern living...


2. lonelylolacherrycola left...
Wednesday, 7 December 2005 1:34 am :: http://thehungrybunny.blogspot.com
Haha quarantine the reindeers... especially when reindeers have such cute red noses, might easily be mistaken for deer flu or something. But i rather fancy a Santa Claus coming down the fireplace if i have one. He could be cute you know.


3. akk left...
Wednesday, 7 December 2005 9:34 am
eh...might not be adults/smokers leh...
it might be a kids or a gang of kids living in the same block throwing matches in...
I admit to belong to such a gang and throwing waterbombs at passerbys below when i was 8....bad bad....


4. JayWalk left...
Wednesday, 7 December 2005 10:00 am :: 
Pam: Yeah, nobody know their neighbours anymore. A far cry from the old kampung days. Then again, you won't get every stupid thing splashed all over the kampung gossip grapevine by those nosey aunties.

HungryBunny: Consider yourself lucky that it is only the nose that is glowing red and not their er....

...Or else we'll get a brand new meaning to the term "Bird Flu". :P

As for Santa coming to Singapore, stay tuned as I will turn the response to this comment to a full blog entry proper.

Akk: I supposed water bomb is very common prank among kids but at least it doesn't risk killing people like fire.

Remember Michael Fay, the American kid who kena caned for spray painting a judge's car? These kids used to be in my area when the American School campus was still in Ulu Pandan.

I tell you, these kids were really out of control. I remembered walking home one day to the smell of burning rubbish and thick black smoke.

The kids have set my condo's dumpster on fire.


5. Lynne left...
Thursday, 8 December 2005 9:28 pm
Hmm, my comment didn't get published :(
As for the reindeers, they will be perfect for hot-plate venison, with some green onions and garlic, yum!


6. JayWalk left...
Friday, 9 December 2005 4:10 am ::
Lynne: Got published lah. It's under "Death Of Santa Claus".
You really want to eat the reindeers with green onion and garlic (don't forget the ginger slices), don't you?
 

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