Tanjong Pagar structure collapse: Migrant Workers' Centre to provide payout to victim's family

SINGAPORE: The Migrant Worker’s Centre (MWC) on Friday (Jun 16) said that it would issue a payout to the family of the 20-year-old migrant worker who was killed when a concrete wall at a Tanjong Pagar work site collapsed the day before.

“We will extend an ex-gratia payout through the Migrant Workers’ Assistance Fund (MWAF) to provide interim financial assistance to help his next-of-kin (NOK) to tide over while they await compensation from the Work Injury Compensation Act (WICA),” said MWC in a Facebook post on Friday.

The payout amount was not indicated. An ex-gratia payment is a cash payment without any contractual or legal obligation.

“We understand the impact such incidents can have on the livelihoods of the families involved and remain committed to providing a helping hand in times of crisis.” 

MWC said that it had taken immediate action to reach out to the employer of the deceased worker to gather all relevant information pertaining to the incident. 

Aik Sun Demolition and Engineering, the worker's employer, has been ordered to stop all work at the site.

“Our primary objective now is to ensure that the immediate needs of the affected worker’s family are met,” added MWC.

MWC highlighted the emotional toll suffered by other workers and said it would offer counselling services during this "challenging period".

“It is our aim to ensure that no worker is left alone in the aftermath of such distressing incidents, and we stand ready to provide comprehensive assistance,” it said.

MWC is a bipartite initiative of the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) and the Singapore National Employers’ Federation (SNEF).

"COMPREHENSIVE" PROBE

MWC's offer of help for the affected workers was praised by NTUC assistant secretary-general Melvin Yong, who called for an "urgent and comprehensive" investigation into what caused the wall to collapse.

The probe, he said, should cover all aspects of the project, including planning, risk assessment, worker training, supervision and compliance with safety regulations.

"Demolition projects inherently involve significant risks and potential hazards, both to workers and to those in the surrounding vicinity," Mr Yong wrote in a Facebook post on Friday.

He urged companies operating construction sites with high-risk activities to strengthen safety protocols so that workers involved in demolition projects are adequately protected.

Mr Yong also reminded companies to take regular time off from daily work routines to review and implement the necessary safety measures.

He urged companies to set up reporting mechanisms so that workers and voice safety concerns or report potential hazards without fear of reprisal. 

WHAT HAPPENED 

A building structure collapsed in Tanjong Pagar on Thursday, at the site where the Fuji Xerox Towers building was being demolished to be redeveloped by City Developments Limited (CDL) as Newport Plaza, a mixed-use building.

The migrant worker, an Indian national, was reported missing after the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) was alerted to the incident at 2pm. 

He was found pinned under a collapsed reinforced concrete structure around 6pm. 

He had no pulse, was not breathing and his body was recovered after a nearly four-hour effort to free him from the rubble.