Board of Inquiry to review incident leading to NSF firefighter Edward Go's death: MHA

SINGAPORE — A Board of Inquiry will be convened to review the events leading up to the death of 19-year-old full-time national serviceman (NSF) Edward H Go in a firefighting operation last December.

Associate Professor Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim, Minister of State for Home Affairs, said this in Parliament on Friday (Feb 24) in response to a question by Mr Murali Pillai, Member of Parliament (MP) for Bukit Batok.

Mr Murali had asked whether an independent board will be convened to investigate the circumstances leading to Go’s death and make recommendations to rectify any lapse in the firefighting operation that may not be uncovered from this review. 

Assoc Prof Faishal said that the police are investigating Go’s death and will inform the coroner of their findings when it is completed.

The coroner will also consider the police’s investigations and make a finding on the circumstances relating to Go's demise.

"We have decided that we will also convene a Board of Inquiry under the Civil Defence Act to conduct a review of the incident," Assoc Prof Faishal added.

“Since the Board of Inquiry is also a fact-finding body, it will be held after the coroner’s findings are established. The board will then also be able to consider the police and the coroner’s findings in its assessment of the matter.”

The board will submit its report to Minister for Home Affairs K Shanmugam and the Ministry of Home Affairs will share the board’s findings and recommendations “at an appropriate juncture”.

Replying to a supplementary question by Hougang MP Dennis Tan on Friday, Assoc Prof Faishal had said that a coroner's inquiry will be held and the findings will be made public.

However, Assoc Prof Faishal clarified in Parliament on Monday that the coroner "may decide" to hold an inquiry. If so, "it will be held in open court and it will be public information, unless the coroner has sufficient reason not to do so", he added.

Go was the first Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) personnel to die in firefighting operations here.

WHAT HAPPENED

On Dec 8 last year at about 11.10am, SCDF was alerted to a fire on the fourth floor of Block 91 Henderson Road.

As firefighters entered the smoke-logged flat in the public housing block to put out the fire, Go fell unconscious in the kitchen area, SCDF said at the time.

His colleagues immediately took him out of the unit to perform cardio-pulmonary resuscitation on him. He was taken to hospital where he was later pronounced dead.

Assoc Prof Faishal said earlier that the SCDF officers responding to the incident found that the fire engine access way leading to Block 91 was obstructed by a tent where a funeral wake was being held.

Officers had to remove the bollards that were padlocked to the ground near the tentage to create an access route, which delayed their arrival by 18 minutes.

Go was also posthumously promoted to the rank of Sergeant (1) and accorded full ceremonial honours on Dec 13.