The luffing jib of a tower crane working at Novena construction site of the new TTSH rehab hub collapsed early this morning. It was reported that one of the workers died on the spot while the second worker succumbed to his injuries in the hospital. Kajima Overseas Asia was the main contractor for this construction project.
The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said it received a call for help at the construction site in Jalan Tan Tock Seng at about 8.50 am this morning. When they have arrived at the scene, they saw the tower crane’s luffing jib already collapsed and pronounced dead of the 28-year-old Indian worker by the paramedic. Another 35-year-old Bangladesh worker suffered leg injuries and fractures have been taken to the Tan Tock Seng Hospital. They are employed by LKT Contractors and BHCC Construction respectively.
A resident whose apartment faces the construction site said she heard a loud boom in the area at about 8.40 am. The 33-year-old consultant, who wishes to be known as Ms. Goh, saw the crane operator stuck on top of the partially collapsed crane at the construction site, who was able to climb down from the demised crane 20 minutes later.
One of the personnel at the site said that the tower crane was lifting 300 kg of scaffolding materials when the luffing jib collapsed on both men who were on the ground level. Crane World Asia, the tower crane supplier has also been informed of the accident.
A spokesman for the main contractor, Kajima Overseas Asia said that they are investigating the cause of the accident and the project team is looking into helping the families of the workers and claiming of the insurance for them.
Ministry of Health (MOH), the regulating authority, has halted all activities at the construction site while the Ministry of Manpower (MOM), will also be working with the contractors to investigate the cause of the accident. The new 17-storey 500-bed rehabilitation complex, which is part of Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH), ordered by the Ministry of Health (MOH). The construction works started in March 2017 and scheduled to be completed by 2022.
Seventeen workers have died from work from January to June this year while six of it took place at construction sites.
Cranepedia’s Comments
We have found someone who has reliable news that the injured Bangladesh worker has succumbed to his injuries in the hospital and there were sources that the tower crane was trying to lift the materials which have exceeded its jib’s working radius and tried to drag the load towards the crane. The jib finally gave way before collapsing down.
