Three people rescued by SCDF after mezzanine floor collapses at Toa Payoh warehouse
Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) officers work to rescue people who were trapped after the collapse of a mezzanine floor and storage racks in a warehouse unit at 11 Toa Payoh Industrial Park on Jan 28, 2025 (Photo: Facebook/SCDF)
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SINGAPORE: Three people were rescued by the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) at a warehouse unit in Toa Payoh on Tuesday (Jan 28) after a mezzanine floor and storage racks collapsed inside the unit.
Two of those rescued were children.
SCDF was alerted to the incident in a building at 11 Toa Payoh Industrial Park at about 5.50pm, and firefighters from Bishan Fire Station and rescuers from SCDF's Special Response Unit and Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team were deployed to the scene.
A total of four people were initially "trapped under piles of rugs" following the collapse, SCDF said in a Facebook post.
One person was able to free himself before SCDF's arrival and alerted that three other people were still trapped under the rugs.
Upon their arrival, the firefighters and rescuers began searching the area affected by the collapse, which measured about 20m by 10m, aided by two SCDF search dogs.
"The firefighters and rescuers removed piles of rugs and cut through storage racks to reach the three trapped persons," SCDF said.
"After an operation lasting about 90 minutes, all three persons, two of whom were children, were rescued."
All four people who were trapped as a result of the collapse were subsequently taken to hospital – the adults to Tan Tock Seng Hospital and the children to KK Women's and Children's Hospital.
"All four persons were conscious when conveyed to the hospitals," SCDF said.
In response to queries from CNA, the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) and the Ministry of Manpower said on Wednesday that they were investigating the incident.
A BCA spokesperson subsequently added that the partial collapse of the mezzanine floor, which was a steel platform, and the racking system in the unit "did not affect the structural integrity of the building".
Separately on Wednesday, the building's owner, JTC, told CNA that the terrace workshop unit is tenanted to AHT Carpet and Flooring.
JTC added that it is "working with the relevant agencies investigating the incident".
