Construction worker dies after being struck by steel gate frame in Yishun
this is index.phpSINGAPORE: A construction worker died on Monday (Oct 21) after he was hit by a steel gate frame at a Yishun work site.
The incident happened at around 6.50pm at Block 413 Yishun Ring Road.
The worker, a 55-year-old Chinese national, was pushing a steel gate frame when it struck him, said the Ministry of Manpower (MOM).
He was taken to Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, where he died from his injuries.
Photos shared with CNA showed a construction worker lying on the ground. Officers from the Singapore Civil Defence Force were seen evacuating him from the scene on a stretcher.
“As a general safety measure, sliding gates must be properly designed and installed with appropriate stoppers to prevent them from being derailed when in use,” said MOM.
The ministry said it is investigating the incident and has instructed the employer, Jin Shan Construction, to stop all work activity at the site.
It added that Nee Soon Town Council is the project developer.
MOM clarifies rules, recommendations to protect outdoor workers from heat stress
this is index.phpSINGAPORE – To make it easier for companies to protect employees working outdoors against intense heat, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) has reworked current heat stress measures based on an existing advisory for the public.
The ministry is making a distinction between compulsory heat safety rules – such as having acclimatisation programmes and ensuring workers have roofed spaces to rest in – and recommended measures, such as rescheduling outdoor physical work to cooler parts of the day.
On Sept 6, MOM said it will conduct inspections at workplaces to ensure that the required measures under its reworked framework are implemented.
Worksites that breach these rules may be fined or given notices of non-compliance and stop-work orders.
This announcement follows inspections conducted from March to June – the hottest months of the year – which revealed that about one in three workplaces breached heat safety rules. Heat stress measures for outdoor workers were put in place in October 2023.
The reworked measures also give employers flexibility to adjust and implement measures based on their specific work settings, MOM said.
The advisory classifies heat stress levels as low, moderate or high, based on Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) measurements, which indicate how hot the human body feels.
WBGT takes into account not only air temperature, but also humidity, wind speed and solar radiation. A WBGT reading below 31 deg C indicates low heat stress, while a reading of 33 deg C and above indicates high heat stress.
But for outdoor labourers, a 32 deg C WBGT reading is already classified as high heat stress. This applies to workers such as construction workers, outdoor cleaners, shipyard employees and delivery riders.
At that temperature, workers involved in heavy physical labour, such as shovelling and manual sawing, should be given at least 10 minutes to rest under shade every hour. If WBGT rises to 33 deg C, the recommendation is to increase the rest period to at least 15 minutes of rest per hour, MOM said.
Resting in ventilated, shaded areas moves workers away from heat sources, helps them rehydrate and allows their bodies to remove excess heat, according to an International Labour Organisation report in July.
Mr Lee Meng Shui, a senior project manager at Pal-Link Construction, said the reworked measures are easier to follow, making it clearer for worksites to know which rules they must implement.
The updated measures also identify vulnerable groups of workers whom employers should monitor closely, including elderly and pregnant employees, new workers from colder climates and those with chronic illnesses or a history of heat injury.
Of the 250 workplaces inspected between March and June, about 30 per cent were found to have breached heat safety rules.
At 78 worksites, employees were not provided with adequate rest breaks under shade for heavy physical work, nor were they put through heat acclimatisation programmes, among other contraventions.
Acclimatisation involves gradually exposing employees to Singapore’s heat and humidity, increasing the duration and intensity of outdoor work over a period of at least seven days.
In a Facebook post on Sept 6, NTUC assistant secretary-general Melvin Yong urged employers to ensure that their outdoor workers and supervisors undergo training to recognise the signs and symptoms of heat-related illnesses and appropriate first-aid measures.
“Older workers with pre-existing medical conditions may be at higher risk, as their thermoregulatory system may be compromised. Certain medications may also impair a person’s ability to respond to heat stress adequately,” Mr Yong said.
“As our annual average temperature continues to trend up, the likelihood of our workers encountering heat stress will only continue to grow,” he added.
More information about the revised measures can be found here: https://www.mom.gov.sg/heat-stress-measures-for-outdoor-work
Maximum fine for workplace safety breaches to be raised from $20k to $50k from June 1
this is index.phpSINGAPORE – Companies breaching safety regulations will soon face a higher maximum fine of $50,000 – up from $20,000 – and construction sites with a contract sum of at least $5 million must have surveillance cameras.
The increased fine from June 1 will apply to all industries under the Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) Act Subsidiary Legislation for offences that are a major cause of death or serious injury, or a dangerous occurrence such as an explosion.
Offences include failing to have protective structures to prevent falls, not appointing competent people to perform critical duties and failing to inspect or maintain equipment such as cranes and scaffolds.
Singapore’s workplace fatality and major injury rates dipped to record lows in 2023, not including 2020 when the Covid-19 pandemic disrupted work.
Thirty-six workers died in 2023, a 21.7 per cent drop from the 46 deaths in 2022, and there were 590 major injuries in 2023, down from 614 in 2022.
On the decision to implement stricter measures despite low incident rates, Senior Minister of State for Manpower Zaqy Mohamad said: “We don’t want to have a situation where we are complacent. We don’t want to be a one-hit wonder.
“We had a record low year last year, but let’s bear in mind as well that in the year before that, we were still grappling with high (fatality and major injury) rates. Therefore, we wanted to ensure that this is sustainable over time.”
He was speaking on May 27 during a visit to Serangoon Polyclinic’s worksite in Upper Serangoon Road.
It is located opposite Nex shopping mall and Serangoon MRT station, and is slated to open by 2025. It will be the largest polyclinic in Singapore by floor area.
The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) said the increase in the maximum fine will strengthen ownership and accountability of WSH, particularly among senior company leadership, who are responsible for shaping the safety culture at the workplace.
National Trades Union Congress assistant secretary-general Melvin Yong, who was also at the site visit, said: “Every worker’s life matters. I hope that the higher penalty will make companies think twice and put in place genuine and permanent solutions to make our workplaces safer.”
Although there were improvements in the construction sector, it was still a top contributor of fatal and major injuries in 2023.
To further improve safety, video systems must be deployed at construction sites for projects valued at $5 million or more from June 1.
Comprising a network of cameras, monitors or display units, and recorders, the video systems must be placed at worksite locations where high-risk work is done.
MOM said they will act as a deterrent for unsafe workplace behaviour and offer insights for investigations of safety incidents and near-misses.
A multi-agency workplace safety task force, which announced the measure in May 2023, had said then that companies will bear the cost of implementing the systems.
Mr Zaqy said there are support measures for companies to implement such automated technologies, but emphasised that the safety of workers should not be thought of as a cost “because this is about saving lives”.
During the worksite visit, main contractor Zheng Keng Engineering and Construction showed the media its video surveillance system installed in October 2023.
When any of its 17 cameras around the worksite detects safety breaches, an automated alert is sent to a Telegram chat used by the company’s safety supervisors. One of them will then correct the worker or fix the breach immediately.
The most common breaches among workers are failure to wear their personal protective equipment properly and standing too close to machinery.
The system cost $25,000, which Mr Zaqy said was a small proportion of a multimillion-dollar project. “What’s the cost of a stop-work order over a few weeks or months because you have an injury, fatality or major accident? (If) you weigh that in terms of total costs, on balance, I think some of these technologies are worth the extra money,” he said.
Mr Guo Jin Shun, a WSH officer at Zheng Keng, said that previously, operations personnel who manually surveyed the site spotted nine to 10 breaches every week.
With the new digital eye, the number of breaches has dropped to four or five per week.
Said Mr Guo: “Experienced and seasoned workers are more confident and complacent. (The cameras) will tend to capture them. We would then educate them and let them know what the unsafe behaviour was.”
One of the company’s workers, Mr Muthu Kannan, 28, said that in the past, some of his colleagues’ unsafe practices would go unnoticed by supervisors.
“(Now) if I remove my helmet or do not wear my vest properly, the camera detects it. I think it’s helpful because it’s safer for us.”
Casuarina Curry outlet suspended for 2 weeks, fined for hygiene lapses
this is index.phpSINGAPORE – An outlet of popular eatery Casuarina Curry, known for its roti prata, has been suspended for two weeks by the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) after a cockroach infestation was found at its premises.
The outlet, located at 136 and 138 Casuarina Road in Sembawang Hills Estate, will be suspended from Jan 9 to 22.
In a notice on its website on Jan 9, SFA said the licensee of the outlet would also be fined $800 for two offences: failure to keep licensed premises free of infestation and for selling unclean food.
The offences, which carry six demerit points each, were detected in a 12-month period leading to the penalties.
SFA said licensees who accumulate 12 or more demerit points in that period may have their licences suspended for up to four weeks, or cancelled.
Besides the fine and suspension, all food handlers at the outlet will also be required to re-attend and pass the Workforce Skills Qualifications (WSQ) Food Safety Course Level 1 before they are allowed to resume work.
Any food hygiene officer working at the affected premises will be required to re-attend and pass the WSQ Food Safety Course Level 3.
“SFA takes a serious view of these offences and would like to remind food operators to observe good food and personal hygiene practices at all times, and to engage only registered food handlers,” the agency said.
“SFA will not hesitate to take firm action against anyone found to be in violation of the Environmental Public Health Act.”
Members of the public who observe poor food safety practices in food establishments should not patronise these outlets and can provide feedback via SFA’s online feedback form (https://www.sfa.gov.sg/feedback) or call the SFA Contact Centre on 6805-2871.
S$3,000 fine for bakery after dead mice were found on floor, among other food safety lapses
this is index.phpSINGAPORE — A bakery where dead mice were found on the floor of the food preparation area in late 2021 was issued with a fine of S$3,000 in court on Wednesday (Dec 6).
Proofer Bakery was penalised for multiple safety lapses under the Sale of Food (Non-Retail Food Business) Regulations, the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) said in a media release.
The agency conducted an inspection on Oct 26 in 2021 at the bakery’s unit housed in a commercial building at 171 Kampong Ampat off MacPherson Road.
During the inspection, SFA officers found dead mice on the floor in the food preparation area.
Several lapses relating to poor maintenance of the premises and equipment were also observed.
The agency added: “In the interest of public health, SFA suspended the food business operations of Proofer Bakery from Oct 26, 2021 to Jan 25, 2022.”
It had directed the licensee to rectify the lapses and take necessary measures to improve the food safety practices and cleanliness of its premises.
Proofer Bakery was also directed to recall various food products at its 16 retail outlets on Oct 26 as a precautionary measure.
The suspension was lifted on Jan 26 last year after the food processing establishment had rectified the lapses and taken necessary measures to improve the food safety practices and the cleanliness of its premises, SFA said.
SFA reminded operators that food safety is a joint responsibility because food can be contaminated anywhere along the food chain.
“While SFA continues to be vigilant and works to ensure regulatory measures are in place and properly enforced, the industry and consumers must also play their part.
“All food operators should ensure their premises are clean and well-maintained, and staff are adequately trained on proper food safety management.
“SFA will take enforcement action against food operators who do not adhere to regulations or comply with food safety requirements.”
If found guilty, offenders are liable to be fined up to S$5,000 and, in the case of a continuing offence, be further fined up to S$100 for every day or part thereof during which the offence continues after conviction.
Loyalty marketing agency fined S$10,000 over data leak of Starbucks Singapore customers
this is index.phpSINGAPORE: The developer of an e-commerce platform owned by Starbucks Singapore has been fined S$10,000 over a data breach that affected more than 300,000 members of the popular coffee chain’s rewards membership programme.
The developer, Ascentis, cooperated with investigations and took prompt remedial actions to address the breach, said the Personal Data Protection Commission (PDPC) in its judgment released on Nov 10.
Meanwhile, Starbucks Singapore gave a voluntary undertaking to implement enhanced security arrangements in order to better comply with Singapore’s personal data laws. No further enforcement action was taken against it.
Ascentis’ website states that it was “voted by senior industry marketers” as “one of Singapore’s award-winning loyalty marketing (agencies)”.
The breach first came to light in September last year after the personal data of 332,774 Starbucks Singapore customers was put up for sale on a dark web forum.
This comprised contact and account membership information such as names, physical addresses, email addresses, telephone numbers and birth dates.
The data, collected from those who signed up for the My Starbucks Rewards loyalty programme, was stored on a cloud database.
PROJECT TEAM USED SHARED GOOGLE SHEET
Starbucks Singapore first hired Ascentis to support its loyalty programme in 2014.
In 2020, Starbucks Singapore engaged Ascentis to separately develop and provide, as well as render ongoing technical support for, its e-commerce platform. Customers would be able to buy Starbucks products through the platform.
Ascentis then engaged an overseas vendor – Kyanon Digital, a Vietnam-based company – to provide additional manpower and software development support.
Despite Kyanon’s involvement, Ascentis maintained control and management over the project. Kyanon employees were given accounts to the e-commerce platform with full administrative privileges, which also granted them rights to export data from the platform.
At the time, these admin accounts did not require multi-factor authentication.
In May 2022, a Kyanon employee – named Peter in the judgment – left the company and handed over his account credentials to the remaining members of the project team via a shared Google Sheet.
His admin account was not disabled. Kyanon employees merely changed the password, updated the Google Sheet with the new password, and continued using the account.
Sometime between Sep 10 and 13, 2022, a malicious actor used this account to gain access to the e-commerce platform.
Starbucks Singapore was not able to figure out how the malicious actor did this, but it was possibly through the shared Google Sheet, said the PDPC.
The malicious actor granted other accounts administrative privileges, gathered data, and exported this data to an external email address.
The personal data of 332,774 individuals stored in the e-commerce platform – comprising names, email addresses, birth dates, membership details relating to the loyalty programme, and their last login dates to the platform – were exfiltrated.
This was on top of the physical addresses of 181,875 customers and the telephone numbers of 310,560 customers.
The data was subsequently advertised for sale on an online forum on the dark web.
The Singapore Computer Emergency Response Team (SingCERT) notified the PDPC of the incident on Sep 13, 2022. Starbucks Singapore and Ascentis respectively submitted data breach notifications to the PDPC on Sep 15 and 16 that same year.
In its judgment, the PDPC found that Ascentis failed to disable Peter’s admin account after he left Kyanon and the Starbucks Singapore project. By Ascentis’ own admission, it was responsible for creating and managing admin accounts.
This was made worse by the account not being protected with a sufficiently complex password, said the PDPC.
Ascentis had told the PDPC that the new password met the platform’s password complexity requirements – at least eight characters in length, one upper and one lower case letter, one special character, and not be a repeat of the account’s previous five passwords.
The PDPC reiterated its stance that “mere technical compliance” with password complexity requirements “is not good enough if the password remains guessable”.
In this case, the new password incorporated “Kyanon” and a sequential series of digits.
The PDPC added: “While the immediate cause for the weak new password and insecure sharing of the credentials for Peter’s admin account may have been the Kyanon employees, (Ascentis) could have managed this better by specifying clearer data protection requirements to Kyanon as part of its involvement in the project, including in relation to account management.”
MULTI-FACTOR AUTHENTICATION
The PDPC also gave observations on two other data protection practices that could have prevented the data breach, even if Peter’s admin account was not disabled.
One practice was only assigning rights for an admin account to the necessary employees, and implementing multi-factor authentication for such accounts.
The PDPC said it recognised the business difficulties faced by Ascentis, which had explained that it delayed plans to implement multi-factor authentication due to manpower shortages caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, it added that the implementation could have been given greater priority, considering the volume of personal data stored on the e-commerce platform.
In determining the financial penalty, the PDPC recognised that Ascentis cooperated with investigations, took prompt remedial actions, did not previously breach the Personal Data Protection Act, and voluntarily accepted responsibility for the incident.
The PDPC also said it was satisfied the data breach could not be directly attributed to Starbucks Singapore, since internal lapses by Ascentis had caused the breach.
However, the commission added that Starbucks Singapore “could further improve on the contractual stipulation and handling of its data intermediaries”.
The PDPC has determined that Starbucks Singapore complied with the terms of its voluntary undertaking, it said.
The undertaking involved a remediation plan, including requesting its vendor to implement two-factor authentication and IP address restriction to access the admin portal of the customer database.
DOES NOT STORE CREDIT CARD INFO
When the breach came to light, Starbucks Singapore said in an email sent to customers that it does not store credit card information as per its security data practices.
It also said it implemented additional measures to protect customer information, adding that all stored value, rewards and credits in users’ Starbucks Rewards membership remained intact.
CNA has sought further comments from Starbucks Singapore following the judgment.
In October last year, the maximum amount that a company can be fined for a data breach was increased to either 10 per cent of its annual turnover in Singapore or S$1 million, whichever is higher.
Previously, organisations that violate the Personal Data Protection Act would face a financial penalty of up to S$1 million.
Highest number of major workplace injuries from manufacturing sector; MOM to step up checks
this is index.phpSINGAPORE – The manufacturing sector saw the highest number of workplace fatal and major injuries in the first half of 2023, said the Ministry of Manpower (MOM).
Food manufacturing was the top contributing sub-sector for such injuries in this sector in the second half of 2022 and remains the second-highest contributing sub-sector in the first half of 2023, said the ministry in a Facebook post on Thursday.
In the first half of 2023, 88 out of a total of 325 fatal and major injuries across all industries in Singapore were from the manufacturing sector, according to the Workplace Safety and Health report released by MOM in September.
Of the 88 cases, 18 were from food manufacturing, which is the second-highest number for sub-sectors in manufacturing, after metalworking, which had 38.
In a Facebook post on Thursday, MOM said the top causes of workplace injuries in food manufacturing were machinery incidents, slips, trips and falls, and exposure to extreme temperatures. The ministry conducted more than 450 inspections in the sub-sector in the first half of 2023 and uncovered 1,045 incidents that flouted workplace safety and health regulations.
Penalties issued included one stop-work order, 21 composition fines amounting to $31,300, and 1,021 non-compliance notices.
“Basic safety measures such as guarded machine openings, safe routes for access and egress to work areas, and guard rails to prevent falls were not properly implemented,” said Mr Sebastian Tan, MOM’s director of occupational safety and health inspectorate. “The lack of such measures posed the risk of serious injuries to workers.”
In addition to the expansion of the workplace safety demerit point system to the manufacturing sector – which started in October – the ministry will step up its checks, he added.
With the expansion of the demerit point system, manufacturing companies that accumulate sufficient demerit points due to safety violations will now be temporarily banned from hiring foreign employees for up to two years.
Based on national workplace safety and health statistics for the period between January and June, there were 14 fatal workplace accidents and 311 major injuries sustained.
“The ministry will not hesitate to take action against errant companies and individuals who continue to flout safety regulations,” said MOM in the post.
Workers are encouraged to report unsafe practices to their supervisors or to the ministry, it added.
“By putting safety first, we can prevent workplace incidents and ensure everyone returns home safely.”
435 companies penalised for having poor workplace safety measures
this is index.phpSINGAPORE – Fines and stop-work orders for failing to adhere to workplace safety measures were among the penalties imposed on 435 companies by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM).
It conducted a two-month enforcement operation which focused on hazards such as slips, trips and falls (STF) in workplaces from June 26 to Aug 25.
The operation involved more than 700 inspections across the construction, manufacturing, transportation and storage, wholesale and retail trade and services sectors.
In a Facebook post on Tuesday, MOM said 1,491 enforcement actions were taken, including three stop-work orders and 89 composition fines totalling $186,050.
Common safety lapses included poor housekeeping practices, poorly maintained floor conditions, workers wearing inappropriate footwear and failing to address STF hazards in risk assessments.
“STF can happen anywhere and result in serious injuries,” said the ministry.
Workers are encouraged to report unsafe workplace conditions if they spot safety hazards and lapses, it added, and urged companies to ensure safety measures are implemented properly.
“Since 2014, slips, trips and falls have been the top cause of workplace major injuries and its incidence is on the rise,” said MOM.
“MOM will continue to take enforcement actions against companies found to have serious workplace safety and health lapses.”
Rasel Catering fined S$4,800 for multiple hygiene lapses, leading to 345 cases of food poisoning
this is index.phpSINGAPORE: Caterer Rasel Catering has been fined S$4,800 (US$3,622) for multiple hygiene lapses after 345 people fell ill from gastroenteritis last year, the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) said on Wednesday (Jul 19).
The Ministry of Health (MOH) and SFA conducted a joint investigation at Rasel Catering’s premises after receiving reports of gastroenteritis involving 345 people who had consumed food prepared by the caterer in November 2022.
Several hygiene lapses, “including cockroach infestations, usage of a dirty food container and the presence of pathogens in ready-to-eat food items” were found, said SFA.
The company’s food business operations were suspended from Nov 18 to Dec 29 last year.
SFA directed Rasel Catering to rectify the lapses and “take necessary measures” to improve the food safety practices and the cleanliness of its premises.
The agency also adjusted its food hygiene grade from “A” to “C”.
After the suspension was lifted in December last year, MOH and SFA said: “The company has disposed all ready-to-eat food, thawed food and perishable food items, and cleaned and sanitised their premises, including equipment and utensils, and disinfected food preparation surfaces, tables and floors.”
Rasel Catering’s food handlers and food hygiene officer also reattended and passed their respective food safety and hygiene courses.
The company also took some “additional steps”, including cleaning the air conditioners and exhaust hoods in their premises, MOH and SFA then said.
In a reminder on Wednesday, SFA added that food safety is a joint responsibility as food can be contaminated anywhere along the food chain, and “the industry and consumers must also play their part”.
“All food establishments should ensure that their premises are clean and well-maintained, as well as adhere to proper food hygiene and food safety requirements,” the agency said.
“SFA will not hesitate to take firm action against anyone found to be in violation of the Environmental Public Health Act.”
Those found guilty will face a fine of up to S$2,000. In the case of a continuing offence, they will also receive a further fine of up to S$100 for every day during which the offence continues after conviction.
Tanjong Pagar structure collapse: Worker found dead at demolition site; SCDF ends search efforts
this is index.phpSINGAPORE – A worker was found dead under the rubble after part of the Fuji Xerox Towers building in Tanjong Pagar collapsed during demolition works.
Rescuers found the body of the 20-year-old worker, an Indian national, late on Thursday night after more than six hours of search and rescue operations. His body was pinned under 2m of debris.
The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said in a statement: “Following an intensive search operation, a worker who was earlier reported missing was sighted to be pinned under a collapsed reinforced concrete structure at about 6pm. The worker had no pulse and was not breathing.”
Rescue workers had to cut, break and dig through the rubble, but the weight of the concrete slab, estimated to be at least 50 tonnes, complicated efforts.
The body was recovered at about 9.45pm.
Search and rescue efforts are expected to continue into the night to ensure no one else is trapped under the rubble, said Colonel Firoz Ramjan, commander, 1st SCDF Division.
SCDF officers arrived at the site earlier in the day after being alerted to the incident at about 2pm. Eleven emergency vehicles and 70 officers were deployed to find the worker, including firefighters, rescue workers and emergency medical workers.
SCDF officers from Marina Bay Fire Station, rescue specialists from the elite Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team or Dart, and two search dogs were part of the search efforts, an SCDF spokesman said.
The operation concluded on Friday morning after it was ascertained no one else was trapped underneath the debris, the SCDF said in a Facebook post.
The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) and Building and Construction Authority (BCA), in a joint statement earlier on Thursday night, said a reinforced concrete wall on the second storey – measuring about 10m long and 3.8m high – collapsed onto the street during demolition.
The statement said: “BCA has instructed the project parties to stop all construction activities and will revoke the permit for all works while investigations are ongoing. MOM has also instructed the employer of the worker to stop all works at the site.”
It added that the rest of the building has been assessed to be stable, and there are no concerns over its structural integrity.
Demolition works must be planned properly for structures to be demolished systematically, the statement said. This includes having in place a demolition strategy that details the sequence of events, and demolishing from the top-down to reduce the chances of large structures collapsing.
The occupier of the worksite is Woh Hup, while the worker is employed by Aik Sun Demolition and Engineering, the statement added.
A spokesman for Woh Hup said: “We are saddened by the unfortunate incident that happened and are working closely with the relevant authorities on their investigation into the matter.
“We have expressed our condolences to the family of Aik Sun’s worker and will do our best to support them in any way we can.”
However, he was unable to comment further as investigations are ongoing.
The location where the incident took place will be redeveloped into a 47 storey mixed-use development called Newport Plaza, comprising offices and a condo with 246 residential units and 198 serviced apartments.
The developer of the project is City Developments Limited, which said in a statement late on Thursday night that it is working closely with its contractors and cooperating with the authorities on the investigation.
In photos sent to The Straits Times by a reader, debris from the collapse can be seen in Bernam Street, off Anson Road. The area also appeared to have been cordoned off.
An SCDF Mass Decontamination Vehicle was also seen near the work site. The vehicle is usually deployed when there is a large-scale hazardous material accident and is used to decontaminate a large number of victims. It is also used to transport people who need medical attention and move equipment, said an SCDF post on Facebook.
When contacted, a representative from Aik Sun – the firm carrying out the demolition works – said it needed time to find out what caused the collapse.
In a Facebook post, Aik Sun said structural demolition of Fuji Xerox Towers began in February 2022. The Facebook post, along with all other content on the firm’s page, has since been taken down.
Office workers in the area said they felt tremors when the building structure collapsed.
A 58-year-old man, who wanted to be known only as Mr Lim, said he was in a meeting with three colleagues when they all felt the ground shake. Their office building at 78 Shenton Way is a three-minute walk from the site.
He said: “It wasn’t prolonged enough for us to panic but at the start, it felt like an earthquake. We didn’t know what happened until we went outside and saw the site.”
Another eyewitness, who wanted to be known only as Ms Nisha, said she knew something was wrong when she saw police cars in the area. The 29-year-old works at Napolizz Pizza, across the street from Fuji Xerox Towers.
She said: “We didn’t feel any tremors because we are on the ground floor, but the tenants above us were saying they could hear a loud bang and felt shakes.
“We saw two police cars arriving shortly to block the road, and officers running towards the construction site. That was when we figured out something was wrong.”
She added that the air was filled with dust and smoke.
At about 5.25pm, police cordons were put up in the area. An overhead bridge that leads to the demolition site was also blocked off.
Source: https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/structure-collapses-in-tanjong-pagar-scdf-at-scene