29-1-2025 (SINGAPORE) A harrowing ordeal unfolded at a Toa Payoh warehouse yesterday when a mezzanine floor collapsed, prompting a complex rescue operation that saved three people, including two children, from beneath fallen storage racks and rugs.
The incident occurred at approximately 5:50 pm in a ground-floor unit at 11 Toa Payoh Industrial Park, where four individuals were initially trapped. One person managed to extricate themselves before emergency services arrived and promptly alerted authorities about the others still trapped within the debris.
In a sophisticated rescue effort spanning 90 minutes, teams from the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) deployed specialist units including firefighters from Bishan Fire Station, the Special Response Unit, and the elite Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (Dart). Two SCDF search dogs were also brought in to assist with the operation, which covered an area of approximately 200 square metres.
The rescue teams faced significant challenges as they methodically removed layers of rugs and cut through metal storage racks to reach the trapped victims. Their efforts paid off when all three remaining individuals were successfully extracted from the wreckage.
Emergency response teams at the scene provided immediate medical attention, with rescue workers seen wrapping survivors in blue blankets before transferring them to stretchers. The adult victims were transported to Tan Tock Seng Hospital, whilst the two children were taken to KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital. All casualties were reported to be conscious during transport.
