Phoenix station

Phoenix LRT station (BP5) is an above-ground LRT station on the Bukit Panjang LRT in Singapore.

On the Bukit Panjang LRT, it is between Teck Whye and Bukit Panjang stations.

Etymology

The name derives from Phoenix Heights, a name for a cluster of private low rise houses along one side of the station.

Layout

L2 Platforms	Side platform, Doors will open on the left
	Platform 2	Bukit Panjang LRT: Service A towards  BP1  NS4  Choa Chu Kang via  BP13  Senja (→) Bukit Panjang LRT: Service B towards  BP1  NS4  Choa Chu Kang via  BP7  Petir (→)
	Platform 1	Bukit Panjang LRT towards  BP1  NS4  Choa Chu Kang (←)
	Side platform, Doors will open on the left
L1	Concourse	Faregates, Ticketing Machines
	Street Level

Rail Service

Platform	First Train						Last Train
	Mon - Fri		Sat		Sun & P.H.		Daily
Bukit Panjang LRT
Platform 1	5.07am		5.07am		5.26am		12.49am
Platform 2	5.18am		5.18am		5.37am		1.00am

Incidents

2000 accident

An LRT train with 20 passengers crashed into an empty one at Phoenix Station on 19 November 2000 after an operations officer failed to do a manual check of the lines before restarting the network system. The impact threw seated and standing passengers to the floor of the train, injuring three of them. The service was disrupted for seven hours but it was restored in stages and was fully functional again by 2.30pm the same day. Then Communications and Information Technology Minister Yeo Cheow Tong visited the site soon after being told of the accident.⁽¹⁾

2005 Train disruption

At 12.05 pm on 7 April 2005, all 11 trains in the LRT system were affected by a power outage. Three trains were disrupted in between stations. Following the restoration of power supply at 12.20 pm, normal train services resumed. Staff were sent to pacify passengers trapped in the three trains.

Later that day at 1.54 pm, a train that reached the station encountered a fault and was unable to release its brakes. A rescue train was used to push the train back to the depot and services resumed at 2.39 pm.

2010 Train Disruption

Train service at the Bukit Panjang LRT was disrupted at about 5.30pm on 23 April 2010 due to a power trip caused by lightning. As a result, two trains with a total of 100 passengers were stalled between Phoenix and Bukit Panjang LRT stations.

SMRT's engineers were able to restore power at 5.48pm on one of the trains, which proceeded to Phoenix Station for about 35 passengers to disembark. However, power could not be restored on the second train. Due to lightning risk and the heavy rain, a rescue train was sent to push out the train. Service was resumed at 6.30pm.

About 5,000 passengers were affected by the disruption. Preliminary investigation showed that the power rail between Phoenix and Bukit Panjang stations was hit by lightning, which caused the power trip and damage to the power equipment on the second train. ⁽²⁾

2010 accident

The first ever staff fatality on the MRT or LRT systems occurred on 17 October 2010 at 8 am when Mr Chia Teck Heng, who was carrying out maintenance works on the tracks of a Light Rapid Transit station was hit by a train at this station while checking the power rail between Phoenix and Bukit Panjang stations. He went into a coma and was warded at the NUH but died 29 October 2010 at about 5.45 pm.⁽³⁾

References

1. "MRT Accidents". Singapore On The Web. 20 November 2000.
2. "Train service at Bukit Panjang LRT disrupted due to power trip". Channel NewsAsia. 2010-04-24.
3. "Technician hit by LRT train". Straits Times. 2010-10-28.