Concrete Slab Falls from Ceiling on Boy at HDB Toilet, Injuring Boy’s Back

On 19 May, a mother in Singapore experienced “the worst nightmare”. A slab of concrete in her toilet fell on her son.

She took to Facebook to share her experience with other people.

According to her Facebook post, her son was happily playing with water when a concrete slap falls from the ceiling onto her son’s back, which resulted in injuries.

Turns Out, She’s Not The Only One

Her post went viral immediately with over 3.8k shares.

While many concerned netizens sent their regards to the mother, there are others who said that this has happened to them before.

 

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One pointed out the likeliest cause for the falling concrete block:

Apparently, HDB doesn’t cover the cost of repairing the ceiling.

HDB: It’s Quite Common, Actually

According to the HDB website, “spalling concrete” occurs when the steel bars embedded in the ceiling corrode, causing the concrete cover to crack and bulge.

If unattended to, it will spread to a larger area and affect the building integrity.

This typically happens in humid environments, like the toilet and bathroom or the kitchen.

Some tips to prevent spalling ceilings include:

  • Painting the ceiling regularly as it helps to prevent carbonation
  • Seal any cracks or holes that are left in the ceiling so moisture will not seep into the concrete to the steel bars
  • Ventilate humid areas like the kitchen or toilet and bathroom

If you’ve noticed bulges on your concrete, chip away at the bulges, clean the steel bar of rust and apply 2 coats of anti-rust before sealing the ceiling up again.

You can choose to either do it yourself (the HDB website provides a step-by-step guide) or call in a professional to do it for you.

We hope that her son gets well soon from this incident.

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**All images from Facebook (Syasha DanialAlissa) unless otherwise stated.