Elderly woman’s hand severed by lift doors in freak accident

SINGAPORE — An elderly woman’s hand was severed in a freak accident this morning (Oct 9) after it got trapped between lift doors when she tried to get to her pet dog that was stuck outside.

Members of the public who rushed to the lift landing on the ground floor of Block 322, Tah Ching Road, after hearing shrieks saw the white dog dangling at the top of the shut lift doors, its leash still around its neck.

Unbeknownst to them, the dog’s trapped owner still had the leash. The woman in her 80s was in excruciating pain, her left hand clamped by the doors of lift car B that had jammed near the third storey.

When they realised what was going on, the good Samaritans dashed to help, cutting the leash to free the dog and calling in paramedics and firefighters.

Officers from the Singapore Civil Defence Force, which was alerted at 7.27am, used rescue tools to pry open the lift doors to get to the elderly woman. Paramedics retrieved her severed hand, packed it in ice and sent it with her to the National University Hospital.

A spokesperson from the hospital said the victim’s family requested for privacy and declined to be interviewed. “The hospital will not provide further comment, in view of patient confidentiality,” she added.

TODAY understands her hand cannot be reattached.

From accounts of those at the scene during the incident, it appears the lift doors closed behind the elderly woman before her leashed dog could enter and she had attempted unsuccessfully to stop the lift from going up to her 16th-floor flat.

A resident of the block who helped to cut the dog loose said he had stepped out of the other lift with his sister when they heard the animal’s cries.

“When I turned to look, we saw the dog trapped by its leash,” said the man, who wanted to be known only as Mr Ho, 48. He said the dog was either a terrier or a mixed breed of maltese.

Mr Ho added: “I asked my sister to quickly go up to get a pair of scissors to cut the leash. So while she went up, I was holding up the dog’s buttock to relieve it from the pressure.”

In response to TODAY’s queries, the Housing and Development Board said lift doors have a safety mechanism that will make them re-open when they hit a hard object.

“They are also fitted with safety sensor that will stop the doors if they detect sizable objects in the way. However, the sensor may not be able to detect or respond to thin strips, strings or similar objects.”

Mr Seow Eechang, 66, who lives on the same floor as the victim, described her as a “very nice woman”. She brings her dog for morning walks religiously although she needs a walking crutch.

It is understood she has been living alone since her husband died about 2 years ago. Her son living in the vicinity visits her frequently.

Mr Seow, who has been living in the block since it was completed in 1996, complained about the lifts. He said the lift cars shake or come to a stop at times, or would stop at the wrong floors.

Jurong Town Council, which looks after the block, said servicing for the lift was last completed about a week ago, on Oct 1. The lift was certified to be in good working condition.

The lift also has safety features that prevent the lift landing door and lift car door from closing when photo ray sensors near the base sense movement or when either of the doors is not properly closed.

The town council’s general manager Ho Thian Poh said: “We have checked the lifts within the same precinct and the safety devices are all working. We have also proceeded to check the remaining lifts in our town to ensure that the safety devices are all working.”

Mr Ho also said they were “saddened” by the incident. They visited the family yesterday and will provide assistance, where possible, he added.

Nevertheless, the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) has suspended the use of the lift in question and asked Jurong Town Council to appoint an Authorised Examiner to determine the cause of the incident. The investigation report will be submitted to the BCA.

A spokesperson added: “The appointed Authorised Examiner is also required to propose repairs to the lift, if necessary, and engage a registered lift contractor to carry out the recommended repair works.”

The Commissioner of Buildings will allow the lift to be used again only after he is satisfied with the investigations and the proposed measures to be carried out.