Facebook user Ong Zhin Kwang Donathon recounted his harrowing experience about how a malfunctioning lift door in Block 588A Ang Mo Kio Street 52 closed while one of his arms was still outside. The incident happened last Monday, 6 March at about 6.30pm.
Describing the incident which happened at Lift B of the HDB block as a ‘close shave’, Donathon said that one of his sons ran into the lift and he followed him into it, and that the lift door closed suddenly on his right hand before he can react. He could not retrieve his hand as he was clutching a bag.
He complained to the Ang Mo Kio Town Council that both the motion sensor of the lift door, as well as the “fail safe” mechanism failed to work. He could not also reach for the lift buttons as it was behind him.
Donathon said: “Luckily the lift did not move at all. I quickly asked my older son to press the open door button to open the lift door again. If he hadn’t done so, my hand would have been severed. Yes, this is again a Sigma lift.”
He said that he subsequently called the Essential Maintenance Service Unit but that they were not concerned at all.
Ang Mo Kio Town Council replied to him that they were looking into the resident’s complaint.
To Whom It May Concern,Hi, yesterday I had a close shave with the lift system yesterday. Me and my two sons was…
Posted by Ong Zhin Kwang Donathon on Tuesday, 7 March 2017
Just in case you can’t see Donathon’s post, this is what he said.
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To Whom It May Concern,
Hi, yesterday I had a close shave with the lift system yesterday. Me and my two sons was waiting for the lift. When the lift door opened, my older son ran in and I followed in but with my younger son was still outside. The lift closed suddenly on my right hand before I can react. Both the motion sensor of the lift door and the “fail safe” mechanism failed to work and my hand was stuck for a few seconds. I couldn’t retrieve my hands because I was carrying a bag so I was basically stuck. I also couldn’t reach for the lift button because it was at my back. Luckily the lift did not move at all. I quickly asked my older son to press the open door button to open the lift door again. If he hadn’t done so, my hand would have been severed. Yes, this is again a Sigma lift.
I called the lift emergency helpline and informed them about this incident. From their tone, I can sense that to them it’s like any other day. She wasn’t concerned at all.
I wish to bring up a few issues.
One, with recent incidents, it’s apparent that our lift system is not reliable at all. Maybe slightly better then our train system but still considered problematic and pathetic.
Two, I don’t see why we would need to pay more SC&C in order to upgrade our lift systems Island wide. The old lifts never had such issues. We paid for the lifts when we bought the flat. We didn’t get to chose the lift system. We did not sign up for this Sigma hand chopped off lift system. We are already paying the highest SC&C island wide. Not that we can’t afford it. I am questioning the rationale behind it and why should we be waiting for things to happen and the funds to come in before reacting?
Three, the lift system is made of metal, sensors and electrical systems. This technology has been around since 1880. I find it disturbing that we cannot fix the door or lift issues that we have island wide without changing the entire lift system. This is at the expense of life and limbs.
Resident of 588A AMK st 52.