Engineer dies after falling 30m through false ceiling at CapitaSpring

A Singaporean engineer has died after falling seven storeys while doing maintenance work at office building CapitaSpring yesterday morning.

The 48-year-old woman was working on the maintenance level above the 16th floor of the building when she stepped on a false ceiling panel that gave way under her weight.

She fell about 30m, landing on the ninth floor, said a spokesman for the Ministry of Manpower (MOM).

The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said it received a call for help at 10.55am yesterday. The engineer was pronounced dead at the scene by an SCDF paramedic.

MOM said the woman was an employee of Dragages Singapore. The site occupier is Ascott International Management, a wholly owned business unit of CapitaLand, which is co-owner and project developer for CapitaSpring.

CapitaSpring is a 51-storey integrated development in Raffles Place that received its temporary occupation permit at the end of last year. It houses a 299-unit serviced residence under the Citadines brand owned by Ascott. The apartments occupy levels nine to 16 of the development.

MOM said it is investigating the accident, and has instructed Ascott to stop all access to the maintenance level.

"As a general safety measure, fragile surfaces should be marked clearly and conspicuously to warn of the risk of falling from height," said the spokesman.

A spokesman for CapitaSpring told The Straits Times that the development places utmost importance on workplace safety, and that it requires all its contractors and vendors to use appropriate equipment and follow safety procedures.

CapitaSpring is cooperating fully with the authorities in their investigations of the incident, the spokesman added.

"Our thoughts are with the loved ones of our contractor's late employee and we are extending our assistance to the family," he said.

The accident brings the number of workplace deaths in Singapore this year to 11.