16-6-2023 (SINGAPORE) The body of a missing worker has been found nearly eight hours after a building structure collapsed in Tanjong Pagar on Thursday (Jun 15) during the demolition of the Fuji Xerox Towers building.
The worker, an Indian national, was reported missing after the incident was reported to the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) at approximately 2pm.
Rescue efforts located him trapped under a collapsed reinforced concrete structure around 6pm. Sadly, he was found without a pulse and not breathing. It took nearly four hours to free his body from the debris.
“The operation also required the Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (DART) personnel to dig through the rubble to create space and assess where parts of the body may have been trapped,” stated the SCDF. They faced challenges due to the weight of the concrete slab and the presence of tangled scaffolding around the body.
At around 9:45pm, the worker was finally freed and pronounced dead at the scene by a paramedic. The SCDF deployed 11 emergency vehicles, approximately 70 officers, and two search dogs to the site. The response teams included members from the elite DART team, the 1st SCDF Division, and the Marina Bay Fire Station.
“Fibre optic scope, life detection equipment, and other resources were deployed to detect signs of life,” added the SCDF. “The operation involved the coordinated use of heavy machinery from the construction site, as well as rescue equipment to cut and lift the reinforced concrete slab.”
Colonel Firoz Ramjan, commander of the 1st SCDF Division, explained to reporters that the operation faced significant challenges due to an estimated 40 to 50 tons of reinforced concrete slab, measuring approximately half a meter in thickness.
Search operations will continue throughout the night to ensure no other individuals are trapped under the rubble. CCTV footage indicates that no one else appears to be under the collapsed structure.
In a joint statement released shortly after 9pm, the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) and the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) revealed that a reinforced concrete wall from the building’s second storey collapsed during the demolition works. The wall, measuring about 10 meters in length and 3.8 meters in height, fell onto Bernam Street.
The BCA has instructed all parties involved in the project to halt construction activities and will revoke the permit for all works while investigations are underway. The MOM has also directed Aik Sun Demolition and Engineering, the employer of the deceased worker, to cease all work at the site.
Both the MOM and BCA stated that a professional engineer has assessed the remaining building as “stable” with no structural concerns.
