28-1-2025 (SINGAPORE) A 31-year-old Bangladeshi construction worker lost his life in a devastating workplace incident at a prominent Raffles Place construction site, where the historic Clifford Centre once stood.
The tragedy unfolded on Saturday afternoon when the ground beneath the worker suddenly collapsed during lifting operations. The incident, which occurred at approximately 2:30 PM at 24 Raffles Place, resulted in the worker becoming trapped in collapsed soil.
Emergency responders, including firefighters from Marina Bay Fire Station and specialist rescuers from the Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (DART), mounted an intensive rescue operation after receiving the alert at 3 PM. The technical rescue operation involved DART personnel being lowered into a three-metre-deep piling pit using specialised height rescue equipment to retrieve the victim from thick mud.
Sadly, paramedics pronounced the worker deceased at the scene.
The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) has launched an investigation into the incident and implemented immediate safety measures, including issuing a stop-work order for all substructure construction works at the site. The ministry emphasised the critical importance of proper ground assessment and reinforcement near excavations to prevent such collapses.
With Singapore experiencing recent wet weather conditions, authorities have issued urgent reminders to contractors about the necessity of reassessing work environments after heavy rainfall to ensure worker safety.
The construction project is being carried out by Woh Hup (Private) Limited, with the deceased worker employed by Nardev Builders. S.L. Properties Limited serves as the project’s developer.
Police investigations have preliminarily ruled out foul play, though thorough examinations continue.
