When using a washing machine, most people would avoid inserting certain things that could potentially ruin the clothes.
However, two customers tried their luck when they allegedly put an entire playpen, railings and all, into a machine at a laundromat in Sembawang.
As a result, the playpen burst out of the washing machine and started spinning uncontrollably while spewing soapy water all over the place.
At the moment, the laundromat owners have yet to take any legal action and are checking the cost of repairing or replacing the machine.
The saga and its accompanying videos were shared on 10 Sep by a Facebook user who heard about the incident from her friend.
According to her friend, they were near the laundromat when they suddenly heard what sounded like glass “exploding”.
When they rushed into the store to investigate, they noticed soapy water all over the floor.
There was also a mass of fabric spinning uncontrollably from inside one of the washing machines.
The glass panel of the washing machine door had broken and there were glass shards flying around as well.
Fortunately, nobody sitting near the washing machine when the incident happened. Otherwise, the OP noted that they would likely have been cut.
In one of the videos, a woman behind the camera can be heard telling others to “stand further away” as a large chunk of glass is propelled from the twirling bundle of soaked cloth.
Source: Facebook
At the time, the people in the laundromat thought that someone had put in a baby stroller.
While the OP’s friend was recording the scene, a woman, believed to be the owner of the playpen, purportedly went up to them and asked them to stop filming and not to post the video online.
Although the friend deleted clips that identified anyone, they 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,” the friend scoffed via the OP’s post.
“So when she stopped me and asked me to delete the video, everyone knew who the brainless person was.”
The friend then told the woman that one cannot throw a baby stroller into the washing machine.
But the woman became defensive, saying that it wasn’t a stroller, but a playpen.
“You should always use your brain before doing anything,” the friend warned in the post. “Don’t let anything unpleasant happen just because you were lazy.”
They also observed that both the woman and her husband spoke fluent English and seemed to be “educated and smart people”, so it was baffling that they lacked common sense.
As for why nobody had tried to switch off the washing machine, the friend explained that most of the customers there were children or elderly people.
Thus, they were worried they might slip on the soap-covered floor.
Source: Facebook
They were also concerned about being electrocuted or injured by the glass shards that were still shooting out.
The woman’s husband had tried to pull out the playpen and kill the power but was unable to do so.
Fortunately, the machine eventually spit the playpen out and the chaos came to an end.
Source: Facebook
8world News managed to identify the laundromat in the video as Mister Wash.
Owner Lin Qiyi (transliterated from Mandarin) confirmed that the playpen disaster occurred last Sunday (10 Sep) at their Canberra Crescent branch.
Source: Mister Wash
He said that he had never heard of such an incident happening at a self-service laundromat.
Furthermore, the glass panel on a washing machine door is supposed to be very strong and should not break.
Mr Lin added that the couple said they would discuss how to compensate him for the damage.
For now, Mr Lin has not pursued legal action and is in the midst of verifying the cost of repair and replacement for the washing machine.
All the other washing machines in the laundromat are operating as normal.
Also read: Teenager Climbs Into Dryer At Whampoa Laundromat, Dislodges Panel While Struggling To Get Out
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Featured image adapted from Facebook.
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