Chin Mei Kuan | mk.chin@nus.edu.sg
Tan Tze How Kelvin | tzehow@nus.edu.sg
Teo May Lian | teomaylian@nus.edu.sg
the ridge news
A NUSSU Publication
Feb. 22, 2008
Story Highlights:
- Construction crane collapsed at the construction site of Alumni House
- Three workers died and two injured, but OSHE cannot confirm
- No NUS students were injured, said OSHE
- Police, civil defence and manpower ministry will be handling the case
A crane at the construction site of Alumni House at Law Link collapsed and crashed into the link way connecting the bus stop to the Business school. The accident happened at about 2:15 p.m. today.
View of the crash site, at the back of LT16
(Photo by Tan Tze How Kelvin)
According to Pang See Leong, an excavator operator working at the neighbouring construction site, there were three male casualties; one Malay, one Chinese and one Indian. Two other males were injured.
He said in Mandarin: “If the crane was five meters to the left, I cannot imagine what will happen.”
He said that the crane could have hit the bus stop where the students were.
No students were hurt, according to Ravindran, emergency manager of the Office of Safety, Health and Environment(OSHE).
However, OSHE declined to comment further on the deaths.
According to an eye witness, Kan Foay, a second-year communication and new media and business major, there were four people at the bus stop when the accident took place, and they managed to escape immediately.
“They just dashed out [of] the bus stop before it fell,” Foay said.
Foay was on the internal shuttle bus when he saw the accident.
He also said that some passengers on the bus were quite traumatized.
Second-year business student Suzanne Chin was at The Deck when she heard a “thunder-sound”.
“My friend said that he felt the ground shook,” she added.
Meanwhile, Ravindran also said that the OSHE will make sure that there will be no violation of any construction regulations in within the school.
“The case will be handled by the police, the manpower ministry, and Civil Defence,” he said, referring to the accident.
OSHE said that they will prepare a press release by Feb. 23, 2008.
The body of the deceased being loaded into the police van
(Photo by Chin Mei Kuan)
Temporary bus stop set up by the campus security
(Photo by Chin Mei Kuan)
Good job on the efficient report!
going by how close it was to the ISB bus stop, it’s quite worrying…
This is very sad. I hope the two injured will recover and the matter investigated thoroughly…
Great job covering it. Exactly what ridgeonline is for. I feel sorry for the workers. I hope students will mobilise to help the family or any workers affected and the university will do its part in keeping things safe for them.
ever thougght that the crane could have fell on LT 17 or 16… … if tt happen…
i don’t think it helps thinking like that, bizader.
true, the casualties would have been catastrophic.
but right now, thank god the students were unhurt and my condolences to the families of the deceased as well as their friends who were with them.
i hope whatever caused the accident will be addressed and nothing like this EVER should happen again!
Thank God that the students came rushing out of the bus stop. Casualties would have increased. Can’t even imagine what would have happened even if one student got injured in this mishap.
And one more thing… enough with the investigation (if there is going to be any) on this accident. What’s happened has happened. Deep condolescences. There are two more cranes hovering near the Engineering faculty… MY GOD! You should see the size of those two.. Some one, please check on those equipments first, whether they are safe or not.
They put the construction sheets along the perimeter, so that no one can enter to get hurt… but after this, “danger is just a crane above your head”, I think that they should cover the entire construction area with protection atleast a bit higher than at present.
Hard to digest that the future alumni house construction has to start with 3 deaths. So sad!
on the contrary goodman, a thorough investigation is fully required. three construction workers dead – it’s not just only about you the student.
I wonder if the workers had life insurance. They probably have families who were dependent on them back home :(
God Bless you! The three workers!
And I hope the two injuries will overcome soon!
Exactly as py said, goodman. The story isn’t the students who nearly escaped injury here but the workers who lost their lives which will now affect their families for the rest of their lives. We are such a self-centered lot, it seems.
My thoughts go out to the poor workers’ families. You have three families across Asia who have lost their breadwinners.
Let’s not always think me-first. It’s so easy to forget them when we walk to class or have a coffee at The Deck.
[...] Here’s another. [...]
good luck for the injured.. n pray that it wouldnt happen again..
I know some professional engineers. They tell me its really hard for cranes to collapse because the safety factors are multiplied many times.
And especially when this crane was working right next to a carpark and adjacent highly populated buildings, safety factors should have been even more jacked up.
Condolences to the family…
[...] Published February 24, 2008 News Probably everyone has heard about it from here, here, and here. It is very [...]
it’s really scary. I was at LT17 having my lecture at that time when we heard a loud thud. In fact we didnt even give it much attention, because earthquake-like drilling was commonly heard in the Business School LTs, so we casually dismissed it.
It’s so sad! My condolences to the deceased!
And I express my gratitude to the deceased crane-operator who apparently swung the boom of the crane to prevent it hitting the Business School!
We pray for their families!
Anybody saw how and which direction the tower crane toppled. Which part landed first on the ground.
Do contact me at jimmy_lim@mom.gov.sg, I will love to meet up with you.
Hi, if I wanna subscribe feeds for news only, how can I do so? is it even possible in the first place?
Easily.
This should work.