28-3-2024 (SINGAPORE) A woman and her four-year-old daughter found themselves trapped inside a malfunctioning lift at their condominium in Bukit Batok for over an hour on the morning of Tuesday, March 26th. The incident unfolded at The Dew condominium, where the pair boarded the lift from the 11th floor at around 7:50 am, only to be left stranded when the elevator unexpectedly ceased functioning upon reaching the ground level.
According to the woman’s father, Mr. Huang, the condominium’s security guards were alerted to the situation approximately eight minutes after the lift stalled. However, the response from the contracted lift technician was alarmingly sluggish, leaving the distressed mother and child confined in the stuffy, sweltering compartment for an excruciating 80 minutes.
“I went to look for [my daughter] at around 9:10 am and saw her being rescued. I really don’t understand why it took so long,” Mr. Huang expressed his exasperation, bewildered by the lengthy delay in resolving the crisis.
As the minutes ticked by, the situation grew increasingly dire, prompting the trapped woman to seek assistance from the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF). The SCDF confirmed receiving a call for aid at around 8:50 am, although their intervention ultimately proved unnecessary as the technician finally arrived and managed to open the lift door within minutes.
The ordeal left an indelible mark on the young girl, who appeared visibly shaken and uncharacteristically silent following her rescue. “She didn’t speak at all. She would usually tell us, ‘bye bye’, but she ignores us now,” Mr. Huang lamented, concerned about the psychological toll the traumatic experience had taken on his granddaughter.
The claustrophobic confines and stifling heat had also taken a physical toll on the child, who experienced breathing difficulties during the prolonged entrapment. While the SCDF officers did not detect any serious medical issues upon examination, the incident has underscored the urgent need for a comprehensive review of emergency response protocols.
In the aftermath of the distressing event, Mr. Huang has leveled his criticism squarely at the condominium’s management office and the lift contractor, asserting, “We cannot accept the attitude of the technicians and reserve the right to pursue legal action.”
Echoing Mr. Huang’s sentiments, a spokesperson from the condominium’s management office acknowledged the unacceptable delay, stating that technicians should arrive within 30 minutes of a reported malfunction. The spokesperson vowed to issue a stern warning to the lift contractor and investigate any potential breaches of contract, leaving open the possibility of imposing fines for the egregious lapse in service.
“The other party took one hour and 10 minutes to arrive, which is unacceptable. We will hold the contractor accountable and investigate if there was any breach in contract, without ruling out the issuance of a fine,” the spokesperson affirmed.
As a gesture of contrition, the management office has pledged to reach out to the affected residents, expressing regret over the incident and offering assistance as needed.
