Smoke forces train evacuation at Singapore MRT station, months after similar fault on same line

Smoke from a suspected faulty brake forced the evacuation of a train at Bukit Gombak MRT station in Singapore on Sept. 15.

SMRT Trains president Lam Sheau Kai told CNA the smoke was seen at about 11:40 a.m. at the elevated North-South Line station, and that preliminary checks suggested a faulty brake.

All commuters were guided off the train as a safety precaution before it was withdrawn to the depot for further checks, Lam said.

No one needed medical assistance, and train services along the line continued to run normally. SMRT did not say how many passengers were on board.

A video posted to Instagram by the account sgfollowsall showed the platform crowded with commuters, some covering their noses as smoke filled the area, The Straits Times reported.

Commuters were guided off a train at Singapore’s Bukit Gombak station as smoke was seen coming out from underneath, Sept. 15, 2026. Photo shared on Facebook

SMRT staff could be seen speaking into walkie-talkies while observing the empty, stationary train on the Jurong East-bound side, the newspaper said.

A train emitted smoke from its undercarriage at Sembawang station on the same line on April 13, Mothership reported, an incident Lam attributed at the time to a brake that had remained engaged and could not be released. Passengers were taken off that train and it was pulled from service.

Land Transport Authority figures published on July 17 show North-South Line trains traveled an average of 1.98 million km between delays longer than five minutes in the 12 months to June 2026, against the authority's benchmark of 1 million km.

The line recorded no delays exceeding 30 minutes in any month of that period.