Being trapped in an enclosed space like a toilet, whether at home or in public, would usually leave one feeling helpless and scared.
What would make it worse is being stuck with a baby, as you’d have to take care of it while worrying about both your fates.
That’s what happened to a woman who was stuck in a nursing room at the recently opened HomeTeamNS Bedok Reservoir.
Source: Google Maps
Their ordeal lasted almost three hours.
The incident took place on Monday (13 Mar), when a couple named only as Mr and Mrs Low took their baby to the clubhouse, reported The Straits Times (ST).
The family had gone there to dapao some dinner when Mrs Low, 30, had to nurse the baby.
She went into a nursing room on the second floor of the building to do this at about 7.30pm.
After a few minutes, Mr Low, 32, who was waiting outside, wanted to pass his wife something but they found out that the door couldn’t open, he told Shin Min Daily News.
The IT professional sought help from the staff, but a management office representative told them the door had just been repaired.
Thus, the master key was with an external vendor.
They called the vendor over and they took almost an hour to arrive.
When they tried the master key, it didn’t work.
At this point, Mr Low thought of calling the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF), but the vendor suggested other methods like sawing the lock.
They tried using a metal saw, then a metal ruler, but both weren’t effective.
Dismantling the door was also out of the question, as that had to be done from the inside.
Fearing for the safety of his wife and child, Mr Low eventually decided to call SCDF at about 9.40pm
SCDF came within about five minutes.
Source: Shin Min Daily News on Facebook
Using their tools, they managed to open the door in about 15 minutes, freeing Mrs Low and the baby.
Mr Low said it was fortunate that he was outside or nobody would’ve known that there were people stuck in the nursing room.
He had to communicate with his wife throughout the incident via a gap in the door, or over the phone, he added.
At the time, Mrs Low was more concerned about taking care of the baby. But later they discovered that she had become a light sleeper and had nightmares, Mr Low told Shin Min.
Also, she now has a phobia of enclosed spaces.
He also described the nursing room as not a comfortable place to be stuck in as it was smelly and the sofa wasn’t clean.
Also, there were no features like emergency call buttons or contact numbers, and even tissue paper wasn’t provided.
A HomeTeamNS spokesman said they’ve already put up emergency contact details in the nursing room.
They said the door was stuck because a lock had dislodged.
This was the first time something like this had occurred, they added, and the lock wasn’t faulty before this incident.
They admitted that the master key should’ve been returned promptly after the repair work.
Moving forward, all three of their nursing rooms will have their doors replaced to become “more user-friendly”, the spokesman said.
Meanwhile, nursing mothers can use an alternative facility that had been set aside.
Hopefully, the Low family will recover from their trauma soon.
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Featured image adapted from Shin Min Daily News on Facebook and Google Maps.
The authorities have investigated and closed the incident with no follow-ups required, MFA said.
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