View source for "Ceiling collapse" at Jewel Changi Airport (2019)

On 27 August 2019, a video recording of an alleged collapsed ceiling at Jewel Changi Airport surfaced on Facebook.

==Origins of online hoax==
[[File:Collapsed ceiling fake news 2019.jpg|thumb|''A screengrab of the collapsed ceiling as depicted in the circulated video. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96JINj0ATp8 Source].'']]

===Details of Facebook post===
At around 3 pm on 27 August 2019, the Facebook page, SG Kay Poh uploaded a 15-second long video titled "Huat ah". The video depicted large amounts of water seeping from the ceiling of a mall. At around the 8-second mark, a section of the ceiling collapsed. The Facebook post can be viewed [https://www.facebook.com/sgkaypohloh/videos/1409539735864694/ here]. 


The audio and video footage did not outrightly allege the location of the mall. It can be assumed that the Facebook caption planted the notion that the mall could be Jewel Changi Airport. It should be noted that the caption has been edited. 


As of 12 September 2019, the Facebook caption reads:
 "[NOT SG] Scary sia, if this happened to Changi Jewel how ah?!
 
 Time: 25 AUG 2019
 Location: China Shanghai"
The exact words of the original caption are unclear. However, older comments that had been left on the post provide evidence of its vagueness. Many Facebook users were sceptical of video location. One Facebook user commented: "Take people video and post yet duno where!!?" and another user had commented with "Where is this?". Other Facebook users attempted to debunk the alleged claim with comments like "Fake news" and "Not Spore.".<ref>SG kay Poh. “Huat ah”. ''Facebook''. August 27, 2019. Accessed on 12 September 2019. Retrieved from: https://www.facebook.com/sgkaypohloh/videos/1409539735864694/ </ref> 


Within 24 hours of its upload, the Facebook video amassed over 430 shares.<ref>Tan, Caryn. “Circulated video of ceiling collapsing happened in Shanghai, not Jewel Changi Airport”. ''Stomp''. August 28, 2019. Accessed on 11 September 2019. Retrieved from: https://stomp.straitstimes.com/singapore-seen/circulated-video-of-ceiling-collapsing-happened-in-shanghai-not-jewel-changi-airport </ref>

===SG Kay Poh===
On Facebook, SG Kay Poh claims to be a "News & Media Website" and a "Media/News Company".<ref>"About". ''Facebook''. Accessed on 12 September 2019. Retrieved from: https://www.facebook.com/pg/sgkaypohloh/about/?ref=page_internal</ref> Its Facebook cover photo includes the following tagline: "THE TRUTH SINGAPORE".<ref>SG Kay Poh. ''Facebook''. June 15, 2017. Accessed on 12 September 2019. Retrieved from: https://www.facebook.com/sgkaypohloh/photos/a.1377667488935701/1382429618459488/?type=1&theater</ref> As of 12 September 2019, more than 80,000 people follow the page.

==Confirmation of fake news==
[[File:Qibao Vanke Plaza.jpg|thumb|''The incident occurred in Qibao Vanke Plaza (Shanghai, China). Photo from JLL.'']]
Reports from news sites debunked the claim that the incident occurred in Jewel Changi Airport. It was confirmed that the ceiling collapse happened in a Shanghai shopping centre.<ref>“We Debunk 3 Fake News Cases In S’pore So Your Loved Ones Won’t Anyhow Share Unverified Viral Posts”. ''Must Share News''. August 28, 2019. Accessed on 11 September 2019. Retrieved from: https://mustsharenews.com/fake-news-viral/</ref><ref>Menon, Malavika. “Collapsing Jewel Changi Airport ceiling caught on video? It was taken in Shanghai mall”. ''The Straits Times''. August 27, 2019. Accessed on 11 September 2019. Retrieved from: https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/collapsing-jewel-changi-airport-ceiling-caught-on-video-it-was-taken-in-shanghai-mall</ref><ref>“上海商场爆水管 天花板都塌下来”. ''China Press''. August 27, 2019. Accessed on 11 September 2019. Retrieved from: https://www.chinapress.com.my/20190827/%E4%B8%8A%E6%B5%B7%E5%95%86%E5%9C%BA%E7%88%86%E6%B0%B4%E7%AE%A1-%E5%A4%A9%E8%8A%B1%E6%9D%BF%E9%83%BD%E5%A1%8C%E4%B8%8B%E6%9D%A5/ </ref> 

===The Straits Times===
On the same day of SG Kay Poh's video upload (27 August 2019), ''The Straits Times'' released a report in response to the video. In the report, a spokesman from Jewel Changi Airport clarified that the incident did not take place at the airport retail complex. A statement from the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) affirmed that there were no reports of a ceiling collapse at Jewel Changi Airport.<ref>Menon, Malavika. “Collapsing Jewel Changi Airport ceiling caught on video? It was taken in Shanghai mall”. ''The Straits Times''. August 27, 2019. Accessed on 11 September 2019. Retrieved from: https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/collapsing-jewel-changi-airport-ceiling-caught-on-video-it-was-taken-in-shanghai-mall</ref>

===China Press===
A Malaysian-owned Chinese news site, China Press, covered the story of the collapsed ceiling in Qibao Vanke Plaza which is a shopping mall in Shanghai. The ceiling reportedly collapsed at 1.20 pm on 24 August 2019. The ceiling collapse was attributed to burst water pipes.<ref>“上海商场爆水管 天花板都塌下来”. ''China Press''. August 27, 2019. Accessed on 11 September 2019. Retrieved from: https://www.chinapress.com.my/20190827/%E4%B8%8A%E6%B5%B7%E5%95%86%E5%9C%BA%E7%88%86%E6%B0%B4%E7%AE%A1-%E5%A4%A9%E8%8A%B1%E6%9D%BF%E9%83%BD%E5%A1%8C%E4%B8%8B%E6%9D%A5/ </ref>

==Video analysis==
[[File:Ceiling Collapse fake news (1).jpg|thumb|''Left: The storefront of Ajidou Jewellery store. Right: A promotional sign with the Renminbi symbol.'']]
Further analysis of the video reveals evidence supporting the claim that the incident did not occur in Singapore.

===Ajidou Jewellery Store===
A jewellery store called Ajidou can be seen on the right side of the frame from [timestamp: 0:03 - 0:05].<ref>SG kay Poh. “Huat ah”. ''Facebook''. August 27, 2019. Accessed on 12 September 2019. Retrieved from: https://www.facebook.com/sgkaypohloh/videos/1409539735864694/ </ref> When referenced against Jewel Changi Airport’s shop directory, there were no search results for Ajidou Jewellery Store.<ref>“Shop - Jewel Changi Airport”. ''Jewel Changi Airport''. Accessed on 11 September 2019. Retrieved from:  https://www.jewelchangiairport.com/en/shop.html </ref> Furthermore, there is no mention of a Singapore outlet on Ajidou’s website.<ref>“About US”. ''Ajidou''. Accessed on 11 September 2019. Retrieved from http://www.ajidou.com/index.php/Home/Index/about_us.html </ref>

===Mall fixtures===
The signs and posters that can be seen in the video mostly contained Chinese characters. These posters were also denominated with the Renminbi currency symbol: ¥ [timestamp: 0:00 - 0:01].<ref>SG kay Poh. “Huat ah”. ''Facebook''. August 27, 2019. Accessed on 12 September 2019. Retrieved from: https://www.facebook.com/sgkaypohloh/videos/1409539735864694/ </ref> The Renminbi is the official currency belonging to the People's Republic of China. This gives a clear indication that the incident occurred in Shanghai which is a major Chinese city.

==Related past incidents==
[[File:JEM ceiling collapse.jpg|thumb|''The collapsed ceiling at JEM in 2013. Photo from Twitter user @dinietan.'']]
Changi Airport was beset with reported cases of water leakages in 2019. In 2013, there was a confirmed incident of a ceiling collapse at JEM shopping centre due to a leaking water pipe. This history of events might have led the public to misconstrue the probability of such an accident happening in Singapore.

===Water leakages at Changi Airport (2019)===
On 13 April 2019, there were water leakages at the arrival hall of Changi Airport Terminal 1 and in Jewel Changi Airport. It was reported that there had been an issue with the sprinklers. The leakages were swiftly resolved without affecting mall operations.<ref>“Water leak at Changi Airport's Jewel due to 'sprinkler issue'“. ''Today''. April 14, 2019. Accessed on 11 September 2019. Retrieved from: https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/water-leak-changi-airports-jewel-due-sprinkler-issue </ref>


Shortly after the opening of Jewel Changi Airport, a second water leakage incident due to sprinkler activation took place at Jewel Changi Airport. The incident occurred on 26 April 2019 in the early morning.<ref>“Second water leak at Jewel Changi Airport due to sprinkler issue“. ''Channel News Asia''. April 26, 2019. Accessed on 11 September 2019. Retrieved from: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/second-water-leak-at-jewel-changi-airport-due-to-sprinkler-issue-11482610 </ref><ref>Kaur, Karamjit. “Jewel Changi Airport to open on April 17 with 280 shops and F&B outlets; public preview from April 11 to 16”. ''The Straits Times''. March 7, 2019. Accessed on 11 September 2019. Retrieved from: https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/transport/jewel-changi-airport-to-open-on-april-17 </ref>

===Ceiling collapse at JEM mall (2013)===
On 18 September 2013 at around 10 pm, the first-floor ceiling of JEM mall collapsed, leaving 3 women with minor injuries. The collapse was due to a water build-up on the false ceiling as a result of a faulty water pipe.<ref>“Leaky water pipe caused JEM ceiling collapse: BCA”. ''Today''. September 19, 2013. Accessed on 11 September 2019. Retrieved from: https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/leaky-water-pipe-caused-jem-ceiling-collapse </ref><ref>Mokhtar, Maryam. “Three hurt in JEM mall ceiling collapse”. ''The Straits Times''. September 18, 2013. Accessed on 11 September 2019. Retrieved from:  https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/three-hurt-in-jem-mall-ceiling-collapse </ref>

==References / Citations==
[[Category:Fake News Incidents]]
<references />