Migrant workers rescue woman from Tanjong Katong sinkhole, receive widespread praise

Migrant workers praised for rescuing driver from Tanjong Katong sinkhole, also rerouted traffic

A video surfaced of several migrant workers who pulled off a rescue for the woman whose car fell into the Tanjong Katong sinkhole yesterday (26 July).

@Thelocalsociety posted the video to their Facebook page, showing a group of workers at the very edge of the sinkhole.

Workers stop vehicles from entering hazardous road

The workers pulled the driver of the fallen car up and out of the sinkhole with their combined efforts, escorting her to a safer location.

Several workers yelled for their colleagues to back away immediately from the sinkhole, and they hurriedly complied.

After the successful rescue, the migrant workers also placed barriers to prevent other vehicles from driving into the sinkhole.

Others worked to direct and reroute traffic on the other roads.

Many curious onlookers gathered nearby to check out the sinkhole. Several of them even got fairly close to capture the footage on their phones.

Workers throw rope down to driver stuck in sinkhole

According to Lianhe Zaobao, 46-year-old Pitchai Udaiyappan Subbiah, foreman of a nearby site, said he first heard a loud noise.

When he went over to investigate, he found that a car had fallen into a three-metre-deep sinkhole.

The car’s female driver got out of the car, as water had not yet filled up the hole.

Mr Subbiah stopped his colleagues from entering the sinkhole itself due to the risks. Instead, he had them throw a long rope down and used it to pull her up.

He told the press that he and the other migrant workers wanted to quickly rescue the woman and didn’t think too much about anything else.

After learning that she had left her phone in the car, Mr Subbiah lent her his phone so she could contact her daughter.

SCDF and netizens commend workers on sinkhole rescue

The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) updated their Facebook post on the incident to credit the workers with the rescue.

“We will be reaching out to the workers to commend them for their bravery and prompt action in saving a life.”

Local netizens also praised the migrant workers for their efforts.

“Rescued the victim, closed the road, and rerouted traffic,” one impressed commenter complimented them as professionals.

Another netizen hoped the workers could receive formal recognition and financial rewards.

“A fresh sinkhole is really dangerous as it could expand unpredictably,” they noted.

Also read: Vehicle falls into sinkhole along Tanjong Katong Road South, female driver sent to hospital

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Featured image adapted from Lianhe Zaobao and Thelocalsociety on Facebook.