The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) has concluded operations along Bernam Street — where a structure undergoing demolition collapsed — on Friday (16 June) morning, some 18 hours after they received an alert regarding the incident.
Personnel carried out a thorough search through the night, combing through the rubble to ensure nobody else was in need of help.
Source: Singapore Civil Defence Force on Facebook
In their penultimate update, the SCDF confirmed that there were no other casualties, except for the 20-year-old worker whom they had found dead.
On Friday (16 June) morning, the SCDF posted a “final update” on the incident along Bernam Street.
They shared that they had completed operations at the Tanjong Pagar worksite at about 8am.
SCDF officers had reportedly conducted a thorough search overnight, using heavy machinery to comb through the construction site.
This was to ensure that no one else was trapped beneath the debris.
Prior to the overnight search, SCDF had reviewed CCTV footage of the worksite and was relatively confident that no other persons were trapped under the structure.
Source: Singapore Civil Defence Force on Facebook
Nonetheless, rescue personnel still worked through the night with the help of search canines just to be sure.
Earlier on Thursday (15 June) night, the SCDF shared tragic news about a worker who was previously reported missing.
At about 6pm, rescuers found the 20-year-old pinned under some heavy concrete slabs.
Unfortunately, the worker already had no pulse and wasn’t breathing by then.
In order to free his body, SCDF had to cut and break through the rubble. This was to free up space to assess which parts of the body were trapped.
Due to the precarious operation, they only managed to free the worker’s body nearly four hours later at about 9.45pm. Paramedics pronounced him dead at the scene.
Other than the worker who passed, SCDF said all other workers were unhurt.
In a media statement on Thursday (15 June), a City Developments Limited (CDL) spokesperson confirmed that an incident occurred at their Tanjong Pagar worksite along Bernam Street.
Works were ongoing there to demolish the existing Fuji Xerox Towers and make way for a new mixed-use development called Newport Plaza. The incident apparently happened as a result of the demolition works.
After an extensive search, authorities recovered the body of a missing worker at 9.45pm.
Here’s the rest of their statement in full:
We are deeply saddened by the incident. The deceased worker was an employee of the demolition contractor Aik Sun Demolition and Engineering. We share our deepest condolences with the family for their loss and are working with Aik Sun to offer our assistance.
We are grateful for the swift response from the Police, SCDF, including DART rescuers, the search canines and medical personnel who were deployed to the site for emergency response.
Our immediate priority is the well-being of the affected workers, and we are working closely with our contractors to provide the necessary support. Workplace safety is of paramount importance and we are cooperating fully with the authorities for a thorough investigation.
MS News extends our condolences to the worker’s family.
We hope investigations will provide more clarity on what happened and give them some form of closure.
Have news you must share? Get in touch with us via email at news@mustsharenews.com.
Featured image adapted from Singapore Civil Defence Force on Facebook.
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