Teen dies after falling 4 floors at Orchard Central

SINGAPORE — A 17-year-old boy fell four storeys to his death at Orchard Central mall on Friday (Feb 24) afternoon when he was purportedly trying to retrieve his dropped phone from the ledge of a bridge, shocking retailers and shoppers.

(The area where the teen fell to was cordoned off to the public after the incident on Feb 24, 2017. Photo: Wong Casandra/TODAY)

The teen was apparently taking photos of his friends when he dropped his mobile phone, TODAY understands. Mall operator Far East Organization said that the teen had “vaulted the railing of the level-four link bridge between Orchard Central and Orchard Gateway onto the ledge and subsequently fell onto the atrium”.

Mr Alvin Yow, 23, a chef at Kanshoku Ramen Bar, said that “the young man fell face-up in front of the restaurant”.

Eyewitnesses told TODAY that the incident happened shortly after 4pm and at least four passers-by rushed to help and attempted cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on the teen. 

Eyewitness Chong Wan Ting, 24, who is a manager-in-training at Lush, a shop next to Kanshoku Ramen Bar, said that she heard a crack and saw (some) material falling. When she looked up, she saw a man falling.

“Initially, I thought his situation was not too bad, but he started coughing up blood after someone pumped on his chest,” Ms Chong said. “I called an ambulance immediately ... It’s traumatising (for us after the incident happened) … one of my colleagues cried.” 

She added that the young man was dressed in a flowery shirt, jeans and high-cut shoes.

Ms Mavis Seow, chief operating officer of the retail business group at Far East Organization, said: “We are deeply saddened by the tragic incident and our thoughts and prayers are with the family. We are cooperating fully with the authorities in their investigation.” The link bridge has been closed to the public after the mishap.

(A notice is seen along a walkway in Orchard Central, after a teen fell from the fourth floor, Feb 24, 2017. Photo: Wong Casandra/TODAY)

The Singapore Civil Defence Force said that they were alerted to the incident at around 4.05pm, and the teen was sent to Tan Tock Seng Hospital.

The police said that he was unconscious when he was sent to hospital and later died there. They are investigating the case, classified as unnatural death.