Two workers taken to hospital after gondola tilts sideways at Boon Lay HDB block

SINGAPORE: Two construction workers were taken to hospital on Thursday (May 11) morning after the gondola carrying them tilted suddenly while they were working on repairs to an HDB block in Boon Lay.

Fortunately, the two workers, both employed by Ban Contract Services, were rescued and taken to Ng Teng Fong General Hospital for treatment.

The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) reported that it received a distress call from Block 199 Boon Lay Drive at around 8:10 am. When SCDF personnel arrived at the scene, they found a tilted gondola and a worker on the ledge of the 15th floor.

The worker was assisted by SCDF personnel when he climbed through the window of a 15th-floor unit.

Another worker climbed in through the window of a 14th-floor unit with the assistance of residents living in the block before SCDF personnel arrived. The ground floor of the HDB block was cordoned off to prevent vehicles and people from approaching.

A resident living on the 15th floor told CNA reporters that she heard someone knocking from the suspended platform and realised that the two workers were trapped. Another resident on the 14th floor said his wife witnessed one of the workers climb into another unit.

The suspended platform was left hanging for hours after the incident, and photos circulating online show visible damage to the parapet on the roof of the block.

The Ministry of Manpower said the gondola tilted as its supports failed. The ministry said it was investigating the incident. It added, “The workers were harnessed onto a lifeline as part of standard safety requirements. Both workers were treated at the hospital and have since been discharged.”