Burst pipe causes ceiling collapse at Jalan Duta court complex

KUALA LUMPUR: Burst pipe caused part of a ceiling at the Kuala Lumpur Court Complex in Jalan Duta here to collapse again on June 24. This is the recurrence of a similar incident at the complex shortly after it opened three years ago.

Water from the burst pipe affected the complex's cafeteria, mini post office and a shop on the ground floor.
Patrons at the cafeteria were having their breakfast when the incident occurred at about 7am.

It was the second incident in two days. The pipe burst at 1am on Tuesday and the leak was plugged at about 6am today before the ceiling came crashing down again one hour later.

The pipe burst due to high pressure and the Public Works Department (PWD) will check on the condition tomorrow, said Kuala Lumpur Court Complex director Azizah Mahamud told reporters.

The complex's Mini Post Office chief Rosnita Muda said damage was estimated at between RM30,000 and RM50,000 while about 300 ordinary mail and 132 registered mail were drenched.

"On Tuesday we got a call at about 1am that the ceiling had collapsed. When we arrived here, the post office was under six inches of water. We managed to salvage wet documents and letters. The computers were also wet," he told reporters. The post office is closed today and will reopen tomorrow.

PWD director-general Datuk Seri Dr Judin Abdul Karim said the pipe burst as its end cap had broken because the material used was not according to specifications.

Chief Justice Tun Zaki Tun Azmi and Chief Judge of Malaya Tan Sri Ariffin Zakaria, who happened to be visiting the complex, were informed of the incident.

On May 23, 2007, the cafeteria of the newly opened court complex was flooded starting 9.15am as a result of a burst pipe end cap from a service room causing the ceiling to collapse and power disruption. - Bernama