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A PORTION of Nicoll Highway near the Golden Mile Complex where the MRT's Circle Line is being built collapsed at 3:30pm on Tuesday. Access to the road between the Kallang area and Suntec City has been blocked off by police and civil defence officers at the scene.

One dead body has been pulled out of the rubble so far, and rescue teams, including search dogs, are on the job. Of the three people sent to hospital, two have been discharged after examinations by doctors. Three others are still unaccounted for.

A hole now occupies six lanes of Nicoll Highway.

Eyewitnesses said that the pedestrian bridge across the highway has also toppled over. Other reports said fires were blazing in the site. Water was been gushing out onto the road, and some witnesses reported a strong smell of gas is in the air. Others felt tremors and heard blasts.

PowerGas confirmed that a section of a gas pipe along the highway was damaged by the collapse, but that engineers had shut off the supply. Gas supply to the area has, however, not been affected because alternative pipes are being used.

The collapse also interrupted the electricity supply to the Marina Centre area, affecting Suntec City and Marina Square areas, according to a statement from Singapore Power.

For more information, read article "Road collapses along Nicoll Highway"