It was reported that on or around 5:50pm on 26 July 2025, a deep sinkhole had formed along a section of Tanjong Katong Road South, swallowing a car and its driver.
Background. It was also reported that a concrete structure at a PUB worksite adjacent to the sinkhole had also failed on or around the same time. This concrete structure was reportedly being built so that certain sewer lines could be connected. Ongoing investigations are currently being conducted by the Building and Construction Authority and this is not the first case of a sinkhole appearing in Singapore.
It was also reported that a crane had to be used to lift the car out of the sinkhole and its windscreen was smashed and its roof was also dented. The female driver who was rescued was taken to hospital conscious and she is undergoing further check-ups.
In such events, who can I claim compensation from?
Such events, while unfortunate, raise the question of whom the burden of loss suffered should fall on. Similar concerns may arise if, for instance, a tree falls on one’s private property, such as a car or house.
The short answer is that the Claimant must claim against the party responsible. In the case of a falling tree branch, the party responsible for maintaining the tree. In the case of a sinkhole, the party responsible for maintaining the road.
In Singapore, the Land Transport Authority is typically the party who builds, manages and maintains Singapore’s road network and infrastructure. Conversely, the National Parks Board or Town Council is typically the party responsible for maintaining trees in public parks or housing estates.
What would my claim be based on?
Such claims would generally be grounded on a claim for negligence. This requires the party making the claim to establish three matters.
- The party responsible owed a duty of care to you.
You will be required to establish that the party you are claiming against has a legal obligation to you to act with a certain standard of care. For example, that the party has a legal obligation to you to repair the roads from wear and tear or to inspect and prune trees and shrubbery.
However, even if you are able to establish such a legal obligation, there may be policy considerations which exist to negate the duty owed to you. It has been said that a claim under negligence serves the purpose of rendering interpersonal justice. This means that cogent policy considerations can be adduced to displace the position that interpersonal wrongs should be remedied. For example, courts may be hesitant to impose a duty of care on public authorities if this would impede their ability to carry out their functions effectively.
- The party responsible breached the standard of duty owed to you.
You will also be required to establish the standard of the legal obligation owed to you. Easily understood, this refers to how much effort and diligence the party you are claiming against should have put in. For example, whether road maintenance should have been performed once every six months or once every three months and whether tree pruning should be done once every three months or once a week. Generally, the standard should be that of taking reasonable care.
- The damage you suffered was foreseeable and caused by the party responsible.
Finally, you would also be required to establish that it was reasonably foreseeable that, if the party you are claiming against failed in their legal obligation to you, you would have suffered that particular damage or loss. For example, if trees were not pruned once every three months, tree branches would fall and strike cars, causing damage to them. Further, that the failure to prune the tree was what caused the tree branch to fall and damage your car.
In the case of the sinkhole, the cause of damage appears to be uncertain as at the moment. Was it caused by a failure to maintain Tanjong Katong Road South? Or was it due to construction adjacent or was it due to some other inclement weather conditions? This is why it is very important to document the event and establish the true cause of the incident.
If I was partly at fault, can I still claim?
The short answer is that you can, but the damages you would be awarded would likely be reduced. This is known as contributory negligence. The court will apportion liability based on the relative blameworthiness of parties’ conduct. So for example, if you fell into a sinkhole, but it was found that you had not exercised sufficient care for your own safety by failing to keep a proper lookout or if you were using your phone while you were crossing the road, this would be a case of contributory negligence.
What can I claim?
You would typically be able to claim for losses arising directly from the incident such as damages to your property. In certain cases, you may also be able to claim for pain and suffering or loss of future earnings if perhaps your car was damaged and you relied on it to make a living.
This publication is not intended to be, nor should it be taken as, legal advice. It is not a substitute for specific legal advice for specific circumstances. You should not take, nor refrain from taking any action(s) based on this publication. We shall not be responsible for, nor do we accept any responsibility for, any loss or damage that may arise from any reliance on this publication.