Lift technician dies after being trapped in shaft of Chan Brothers Building

SINGAPORE — A 29-year-old lift technician, who was trapped in the shaft of the Chan Brothers Building along North Bridge Road, died on Saturday (Feb 27).

The Bangladeshi was carrying out repair work on the top of a lift car when it ascended and trapped him against the lift’s guide rail structure, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) said.

The man was employed by lift contractor Decor Engineering. 

MOM said it is investigating the incident and has ordered all lift maintenance work to be stopped at the site, which is occupied by managing agent Parkland Property Services. Police are also probing the unnatural death.  

The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said that it received a call for help at the building around 11.30am on Saturday.

Officers at the scene saw the lift technician trapped in a narrow gap between the lift carriage and the metal support structure of the lift. The carriage was between the second and third floors.

“This was a highly complex and delicate operation requiring SCDF's elite disaster assistance and rescue team and fire station personnel to operate a slew of rescue equipment within the confined space of the lift shaft,” SCDF said.

Apart from SCDF’s emergency medical crew, an emergency medical team from Tan Tock Seng Hospital was also at the scene to provide medical help.

The lift technician was pronounced dead at the building around 5.30pm.

Mr Jeremiah Wong, senior marketing communications manager at Chan Brothers Travel, which owns the building, said that the travel agency was alerted to the incident around 1pm. Its directors reached the scene shortly afterwards.

“We are still awaiting an official update on the incident from the relevant authorities and, subsequently, the investigation report of the incident from the managing agent Parkland Property Services and the lift contractor Thyssenkrupp Elevator Singapore.”

TODAY has asked Decor Engineering, Parkland Property Services and Thyssenkrupp Elevator for comment. 

Mr Wong added: "As the building owner, Chan Brothers Group of Companies would like to express our deepest condolences to the family of the deceased for their loss of a loved one."

The incident comes days after a fire at a Tuas industrial unit killed three workers and left five others in critical condition.

MOM announced on Saturday that Manpower Minister Josephine Teo would appoint an inquiry committee to examine the factors that led to Wednesday's fatal accident and put forth recommendations to prevent a repeat.