BCA Explained Why the NEX Cinema Ventilation Duct Collapsed & Confirmed It Was an Isolated Incident

There are some things in life you’d never expect to see.

Like actual cats and dogs falling from the sky, a police officer riding a PMD, and Donald Trump saying “I lost”.

Patrons who visited Shaw Theatres in NEX on 30 Aug likely expected some twists and turns, as they were watching Christopher Nolan’s Tenet. 

While the movie certainly threw up some surprises, there was one occurrence which no one saw coming.

A ventilation duct collapsing on them. 

BCA Explained Why the NEX Cinema Ventilation Duct Collapsed

The cause of the collapse of a ventilation duct at Shaw Theatres in NEX has finally been determined by the authorities.

According to the Building and Construction Authority (BCA), the collapse was caused by overloaded brackets due to the weight of accumulated water.

Pictures uploaded to social media after the accident showed the fallen duct laying across several rows of seats.

While safe distancing measures may have ended up saving some lives, two moviegoers had to be rushed to the hospital as they sustained injuries as a result of the collapse.

Movie lovers were shocked, and experts speculated about the cause of the incident, citing damaged rods, loose nuts and bolts, and a rusty concrete ceiling slab.

But it was actually because of water.

BCA said a “significant amount of water” had accumulated in the layers of acoustic material surrounding the air-conditioning and mechanical ventilation duct.

This was caused by “unforeseen excessive condensation”.

Over time, the weight of the accumulated water overloaded the brackets supporting the air-conditioning and mechanical ventilation duct, and eventually caused the latter to give way.

BCA had appointed a professional engineer to investigate the matter after the accident, and to recommend rectification measures as well, according to TODAYonline.

The authority had also carried out its own investigations and came to a similar conclusion.

Is It Safe to Visit Other Cinemas?

While you were constantly complaining about the closure of cinemas during the circuit breaker, seeing something collapse from the ceiling in a cinema magically made you content with Netflix at home.

Fortunately, BCA has conducted independent checks on other cinemas in the country, and found no such excessive condensation.

Nevertheless, the authority will issue an advisory to the industry and building owners detailing the importance of regular maintenance, as well as sharing prudent practices for the design and installation of such systems.

In other words, yes, it’s safe to visit other cinemas.

Featured Image: Facebook (SG Dirty Fella)