Mr Loh Boon Kee, 49, who had never met any major mishap in his 29 years on the job, died on the spot at about 6 pm.

The 25-storey condo, Ardmore Park, which is next to the Shangri-La Hotel, is being demolised to make way for another luxury development.

The accident happened when the workers at the site were preparing to go home.

When told that an excavator was stuck at the building entrance, Mr Loh went to check.

He was inside the buidling when the concrete slab, measuring about four sq metres and weighing about 30 kg, came crashing down on him from the 10th floor, killing him instantly.

Mr Goh Eng Hoe, director of Neo and Goh Construction, which is carrying out the demolition work, said the slab had come loose and strong winds caused it to come falling down.

Mr Loh's three children - two grown up daughters and son - rushed to the site when told of the accident. Another daughter stayed at home to comfort his wife.

They could not go near his body as the area had been cordoned off.

His youngest daughter, Miss Loh Hwee Si, 24, said the family was going to have their Chinese New Year reunion dinner on Friday.

She added that Mr Loh was planning to take his wife, a homemaker, to Hawaii for a holiday soon.

'He was a doting father and did not believe in early retirement. He said he would go senile if he stopped work,' said a distraught Miss Loh.