Tanjong Katong sinkhole: Seven migrant workers presented with MOM appreciation coin for rescuing driver

CNA

6 days ago

SINGAPORE: Seven migrant workers who helped rescue the driver of the car which fell into the Tanjong Katong sinkhole on Saturday (Jul 26) were presented with a token of appreciation for their efforts on Sunday evening.
The workers - Mr Pitchai Udaiyappan Subbiah, Mr Velmurugan, Mr Saravanan, Mr Veerasekar, Mr Ajithkumar, Mr Chandrisekaran, and Mr Rajendran - each received an "MOM Ace coin" from Minister of State for Manpower Dinesh Vasu Dash. CNA has asked MOM for the full names of the other six workers and for more information on the coin.
In a video posted on Facebook, Mr Dinesh said that he met the workers at their dormitory after they had finished their work.
Mr Dinesh noted that some of them had worked overtime when he arrived to speak to them, but added that it was especially meaningful to be able to present each of them with the coin in recognition of their efforts.
"I think this is a very good example of how our migrant workers help society in general," said Mr Dinesh.
"Not only do they work in the work sites and build Singapore, especially in the construction sector, but they also step forward and make themselves counted when it's important for them to do so."
He also added that presenting the appreciation coin "goes a long way" in recognising the efforts of migrant workers who, despite being far from home, contribute meaningfully to Singapore and are willing to step forward when needed.
"All of them have in their own ways (leaned) forward to support the lady who was in need, and that made a big difference to a situation that would have otherwise been very, very different," he said.
He also wrote in the post that he is "grateful" to the contributions of the workers to not only Singapore's progress but also their "many selfless acts and for helping to make Singapore a gracious society".
At about 5pm on Saturday, a stretch of road along Tanjong Katong Road South collapsed, causing a vehicle to plunge into the hole.
The incident occurred next to a worksite by national water agency PUB, near the junction of Tanjong Katong Road South and Mountbatten Road.
Mr Subbiah, 46, the foreman of a nearby site, said that he heard a loud sound while working at a nearby site.
"I leaned in to see if there were people in the car, and I saw one person come out of the car," he told reporters on the site of the sinkhole on Sunday, adding that the woman had exited the car and was dry.
Some workers had wanted to go into the sinkhole to pull the woman up, but Mr Subbiah advised against it, telling them to throw a rope down instead.
Three workers then threw a nylon rope into the sinkhole to pull the woman up to safety. Mr Subbiah then lent her a phone so she could call her daughter.
The woman was subsequently taken to the hospital by the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF). In an update on Sunday, PUB said the woman is able to walk and is undergoing further check-ups.
The affected stretch of road has been closed until further notice for repairs.
The Land Transport Authority (LTA) said early on Sunday morning that preliminary checks by the Building and Construction Authority indicate that surrounding buildings are not affected.
MP Goh Pei Ming (PAP-Marine Parade-Braddell Heights) also said in a Facebook post on Monday that the backfilling of the cavity has been completed, and the teams are currently compacting the ground further.