Tanjong Pagar building structure collapse: Missing worker, 20, found dead, body recovered from under 50-tonne concrete slab
SINGAPORE — A 20-year-old worker was found dead at a Tanjong Pagar building site on Thursday (June 15) pinned under a 50-tonne concrete wall which collapsed during demolition works earlier in the day.

Rescue operations at the demolition site of the former Fuji Xerox Towers in Tanjong Pagar, on June 15, 2023.
- A worker who was reported missing on June 15 after a concrete wall collapsed during demolition works was found dead later in the day
- The Indian national was found pinned under the 50-tonne wall at the Tanjong Pagar site
- He was pronounced dead after a four-hour operation to free his body, said the Singapore Civil Defence Force
- Authorities have ordered all work at the site to stop and are probing the incident
SINGAPORE — A 20-year-old worker was found dead at a Tanjong Pagar building site on Thursday (June 15) pinned under a 50-tonne concrete wall which collapsed during demolition works earlier in the day.
The worker was pronounced dead after a four-hour operation to free his body, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said in a Facebook update at 10.15pm.
His body was recovered at around 9.45pm, some eight hours after the incident happened, the SCDF added.
The man is an Indian national, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) and Building and Construction Authority (BCA) said in an earlier joint statement.
The agencies added that a reinforced concrete wall on the second storey, measuring about 10m long and 3.8m high, had collapsed onto Bernam Street when it was being demolished.
Reinforced concrete is a type of composite material comprising of concrete that has metal reinforcement bars within to add tensile strength. The metal bars are typically added when the concrete is cast at the construction stage.
SCDF said that the worker was first sighted pinned under the collapsed reinforced concrete structure at around 6pm.
“The worker had no pulse and was not breathing,” it said.
"The SCDF immediately conducted cutting and breaking operations to free the casualty."
The operation required the elite Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (Dart) personnel to dig their way through the rubble to create space and assess where parts of the body may have been trapped.
"This was further complicated due to the weight of the concrete slab which was in excess of 50 tonnes (estimated) as well as mangled scaffolding around the body," said SCDF, adding that the body was finally freed after nearly four hours at about 9.45pm.
"He was pronounced dead at the scene by a paramedic."
In another update at about midnight, SCDF said that police investigations into "the unnatural death of the 20-year-old worker are ongoing".
SCDF added that earlier on Thursday afternoon, all other workers from the worksite had been accounted for, and none of them had reported being injured.
It added that SCDF and the police had also gone through closed circuit television (CCTV) footage, and there appeared to be no other persons trapped under the structure.
"Nevertheless, the SCDF will continue to work through the night to search the rubble to be certain. The operation will be supported by the deployment of the SCDF's search canines."
Speaking to reporters at the scene at about 10.25pm, Commander of the 1st SCDF Division, Colonel Firoz Ramjan, said that the search operation for the missing worker was "challenging" as officers had to deal with the reinforced concrete slab that is about half a metre thick.
"Upon locating the body, we took measured actions to inch and carefully remove the body from the rubble."

SCDF said that earlier in its search operation, CCTV footage from the surrounding buildings were obtained by the police to assist in the assessing the situation.
A fibre optic scope, life detection equipment and search canines were also deployed to detect for signs of life.
The operation involved the coordinated use of heavy machinery from the construction site as well as rescue equipment to cut and lift the reinforced concrete slab.
Eleven SCDF emergency vehicles and about 70 personnel, including Dart rescuers were deployed at the scene for this operation.

SCDF had first said in a Facebook post at about 3pm that it was alerted to the incident at Bernam Street at around 2pm.
In an update posted 40 minutes later, SCDF said that officers from 1st SCDF Division, Marina Bay Fire Station and rescuers from Dart were conducting search operations to locate the missing worker.
“Two search canines have also been deployed to assist in the search in an area of about 20m by 10m,” SCDF said.
The site is part of the former Fuji Xerox Towers, which is being redeveloped to make way for a mixed-use development called Newport Plaza.
MOM and BCA said that a professional engineer, who is the Qualified Person (QP) for the project, had assessed that the remaining building is stable and there are no structural concerns.
BCA has instructed the project parties, including the occupier of the worksite, construction firm Woh Hup, to stop all construction activities.
BCA will also revoke the permit for all works while investigations are ongoing.
Meanwhile, the employer of the missing worker, Aik Sun Demolition and Engineering, has been instructed by MOM to stop all works at the site.
“As a general safety measure, demolition works must be properly planned for structures to be demolished in a systematic manner, such as establishing a demolition plan detailing the demolition sequences and demolishing from the top down to reduce possibility of collapse of large structures,” MOM and BCA said.
When contacted, a spokesman for Woh Hup said that it is working closely with the authorities on their investigation into the matter and is unable to comment while the probe is underway.
In a statement late on Thursday night, City Developments Limited, the developer for Newport Plaza, said it was “deeply saddened” by the incident.
“We share our deepest condolences with the family for their loss and are working with Aik Sun to offer our assistance,” a company spokesman said.
“Our immediate priority is the well-being of the affected workers, and we are working closely with our contractors to provide the necessary support. Workplace safety is of paramount importance and we are cooperating fully with the authorities for a thorough investigation.”
NO OTHERS TRAPPED IN DEBRIS: SCDF
In an update on Friday morning, SCDF said it had officially completed its search operation at around 8am.
It said that its officers had done a thorough search throughout the night, combing through the collapsed structure with the help of heavy machinery from the construction site.
“We can ascertain that there is no other person trapped beneath the debris,” SCDF said.
“We would like to extend our deepest condolences to the family of the worker who passed on yesterday,” it added.
The SCDF also thanked the police, BCA, and MOM for their assistance and close ground coordination which facilitated the search operation.
AUDIT CHECKS ON SIMILAR PROJECTS: BCA
In a statement on Saturday, BCA said that it will remind builders and QPs to ensure that demolition works are carried out according to approved plans, and to exercise due diligence when carrying out their duties.
"This includes inspecting worksites and carrying out the necessary checks to ensure that the works are carried out in accordance with the approved plan," BCA said.
BCA said it will also conduct audit checks on other similar projects to ensure that QPs and builders have taken appropriate measures to carry out demolition works safely.

