HDB lifts in Toa Payoh break down, man carries elderly dad up to 19th floor

Singapore – Due to two lifts breaking down in their Housing and Development Board (HDB) block, a man had to carry his 75-year-old father up several flights of stairs to their unit on the 19th floor.

Mr Shen told the Chinese newspaper Lianhe Wanbao that his father, who had a history of heart disease, got stuck in the lift for half an hour on Saturday (Apr 10) before being rescued.

The only two lifts servicing Blk 196 Kim Keat Avenue broke down on Saturday for almost six hours.

This caused dozens of the mainly elderly residents of the 25-storey HDB block to remain “grounded.”

According to the residents, one lift broke down on Apr 9, while the other malfunctioned on Saturday (Apr 10) afternoon.

Mr Shen, 39, told Wanbao about the panic he felt upon realising that his elderly father was trapped in the lift between the 12th and 13th floors.

“I was so shocked and worried, as my dad has a history of heart disease. I was worried he would develop breathing difficulties and sustain a heart attack while trapped in the lift,” he said.

He immediately requested assistance from the town council, but another half an hour passed before the lift technician could rescue his father on the 13th floor.

“We took the stairs to go home, but after just two flights of stairs, my dad started breathing very heavily and was completely not able to move,” said Mr Shen.

He then carried his father up the remaining flight of stairs.

Wanbao reported that the Bishan-Toa Payoh Town Council had posted a notice at the HDB block, apologising for the inconvenience and thanking the residents for their understanding and patience.

It was reported that one of the lifts was finally fully repaired on Saturday. The notice added that repair works were in progress, and lift technicians would continue repairing the defective lift until it was fixed.

The Independent Singapore has reached out to the Bishan-Toa Payoh town council for a statement./TISG

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