Woman evacuated from lift in Supreme Court building after falling glass triggers emergency halt
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox
At about 2pm on July 22, a glass panel from the building’s facade fell and cracked a secondary glass roof.
PHOTO: ST FILE
Follow topic:
SINGAPORE - A woman was evacuated from a lift at the Supreme Court building on July 22 after falling glass engaged a safety mechanism that stopped the lift from operating.
At about 2pm, a glass panel from the building’s facade fell and cracked a secondary glass roof, according to a Singapore Courts spokesperson.
A few glass fragments fell onto the roof of a lift car and triggered the safety mechanism.
The woman, a staff member at the court, was trapped in a lift under the glass roof, and was evacuated by a lift technician.
She was not injured and has resumed her duties, said the spokesperson.
The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) received a call for assistance at 1 Supreme Court Lane, in the City Hall area, at about 2.40pm.
One person was assessed for minor injuries, but declined to be taken to the hospital, the SCDF said.
The damaged section of the glass roof measured roughly 2m by 2m in area, said the Singapore Courts spokesperson.
No other structural damage has been identified, and the overall structure remains intact, added the spokesperson.
Inspections within the building are ongoing, but court hearings and other proceedings are carrying on as usual, the Singapore Courts told The Straits Times.
“We have promptly cordoned off the affected area, including all lifts situated under the glass roof, to ensure public safety.”
Earlier in the afternoon, The Straits Times had observed workers putting sheets around the affected area.
The Supreme Court building opened at its current location in early 2006, and houses 12 civil courts, eight criminal courts and three appellate courts.
In response to queries, a spokesperson for the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) said on July 23 that its engineers conducted an assessment and found that the building’s structural integrity is not affected.
BCA has instructed the building owner to appoint a professional engineer to carry out a detailed investigation into the incident and to recommend permanent rectification works.
It has also told the lift contractor to thoroughly inspect all three lifts in the same lift shaft, the spokesperson added.
The Straits Times has contacted the police for more information.
In April, four people were taken to hospital after a glass pane fell
Additional reporting by Selina Lum
