Man rescued from 40m-tall tower crane in Tuas after suffering possible stroke

Wallace Woon
The Straits Times
Sep 3, 2023

A 47-year-old man working in a 40m-high tower crane was rescued by the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) on Sunday afternoon.

The SCDF said on its Facebook page that firefighters and specialists from its Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (Dart) were activated at about 2.25pm on Sunday to perform a height-rescue operation at 71A Tuas Nexus Drive, the construction site of the Tuas Water Reclamation Plant.

National water agency PUB, which manages the site, said the worker had suffered a possible stroke while operating the crane.

“The individual remained conscious but faced difficulties descending safely from the tower crane. SCDF said the man was feeling unwell and unable to climb down the crane by himself,” PUB said.

The agency added that it notified SCDF and worked with its officers to carry out a height-rescue operation.

Four Dart specialists climbed up the crane’s ladder to its cabin, where the man was sitting.

After setting up height-rescue equipment, the Dart specialists secured the man onto a stretcher. The man, along with one of the Dart specialists attached to the stretcher for the man’s safety, was lowered to the ground.

After being assessed by an SCDF paramedic, the man was taken to National University Hospital.

A video of the rescue operation posted by SCDF shows the stretcher being lowered from the crane using a rope, while another rope extends from the stretcher to the ground.

Several firefighters can be seen waiting to receive the stretcher as it reaches the ground.

PUB said: “We wish the worker a speedy recovery and will work with his employer to render assistance if needed.

“PUB has safety protocols in place and regularly conducts safety drills to simulate various emergency scenarios, including height-rescue.”