Washing machine glass shatters in Singapore laundromat as couple places playpen inside

SINGAPORE: In an unusual incident at a Sembawang laundromat, a couple attempted to wash an entire playpen, including its railings, in a washing machine.

The result was a burst of chaos as the playpen spun uncontrollably and soapy water inundated the area.

The incident, which occurred at Mister Wash laundromat at Block 120 Canberra Crescent on Sep 10, was shared on social media, drawing attention to the bizarre situation.

Witnesses reported hearing what sounded like glass breaking and rushed to the scene to find the washing machine’s glass panel shattered, with glass shards flying about.

Fortunately, no one was injured.

The entire episode and its associated videos were posted by a Facebook user, Olivia Law.

She stated that, they were near the laundromat when they suddenly heard what sounded like glass “exploding.”

In response, they hurried into the establishment to assess the situation, where they observed soapy water extensively covering the floor.

According to her, the glass panel on the washing machine’s door had fractured, with glass fragments flying around.

She also mentioned that it was fortunate that it happened during lunchtime, as there were no customers in the store, averting the potential for injuries.

Couple seemed like ‘educated & smart people’

During the incident, individuals inside the laundromat initially assumed that someone had inserted a baby stroller into the machine.

However, a woman, suspected to be the playpen’s owner, stated that “it was a play pen not a baby stroller.”

The person who shared the incident noted that the couple, seemingly well-educated and fluent in English, lacked common sense.

They revealed that the playpen’s owner requested the deletion of the video recording and not share it on social media.

Although she deleted clips that identified anyone, she noted that there was still a CCTV camera in the store.

“If the woman had just stood there, no one would have known who was the idiot who tossed a metal object into the washing machine,” they said in the post.

“So when she stopped me and asked me to delete the video, everyone knew who the brainless person was.”

“You should always use your brain before doing anything,” they warned in the post.

“Don’t let anything unpleasant happen just because you were lazy,” she said.

Regarding why no one attempted to turn off the washing machine, the user clarified that the majority of customers present were either children or elderly individuals.

Consequently, there was apprehension about potential slips on the soapy floor, along with concerns about the risk of electrocution or injury from the still-emitting glass shards.

The woman’s husband did make an effort to extract the playpen and deactivate the machine but encountered difficulties in doing so.

Fortunately, the machine eventually ejected the playpen, bringing an end to the chaotic situation.

Owner’s feedback

The laundromat owner, has not taken legal action at this time and is assessing the cost of repairing or replacing the damaged washing machine.

He mentioned that the laundromat features a notice that educates customers about items unsuitable for machine washing.

However, there are “too many things” such that not everything can be listed down, he said.

His intention is to engage in a conversation with the couple regarding compensation for the impaired machine, and the couple has also indicated their readiness to engage in discussions about compensating for the damage.

This unusual incident has left the community baffled and serves as a reminder to exercise caution and common sense when using public facilities.