A 52-year-old construction worker died after a wall structure collapsed and trapped him at a construction site in Upper Changi on Wednesday, September 17.
The Singapore Civil Defense Force (SCDF) and the police said they were informed about the accident at a construction site at 14 Toh Close at about 1.05 pm.
When SCDF personnel arrived at the site, they discovered a man trapped between two walls and used hydraulic rescue equipment to extricate him. He was declared dead at the scene by SCDF paramedics.
Based on preliminary findings, the police do not suspect foul play. The investigations are still ongoing.
Lianhe Zaobao, a Singaporean newspaper, claimed that a notice at the construction site states that construction will start in May and that a two-story private residential unit will be built.
The Straits Times (ST) reported that a spokesperson from the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) said the worker was trapped when a wall collapsed while he was manually digging a trench next to it.
According to a Building and Construction Authority (BCA) spokesperson, the trench was approximately 600 mm deep.
BCA told ST, "One of the workers was trapped due to shifting and tilting of the retaining wall."
The affected retaining wall and nearby buildings have also been inspected by a BCA engineer and the project's qualified individual, according to BCA, which also stated that the inspection verified there aren't any immediate structural safety issues with the nearby buildings.
According to BCA, the qualified individual has been directed to propose long-term corrective actions and to install temporary propping measures to stabilize the impacted retaining wall.
"We are deeply saddened by the loss of life and our thoughts are with the family of the deceased worker during this difficult time," BCA added.
Nic & Wes Builders is the site's occupier, and Nic & Wes Construction was the worker's employer when he passed away. According to the authorities, all work activities at the site have ceased.
"As a general safety measure, contractors must check the integrity of the surrounding structures and provide adequate shoring to prevent collapse during construction work," MOM said, as quoted by ST.
