SINGAPORE - A worker died after a fall at the construction site for the Housing and Development Board's (HDB) Eastcreek @ Canberra project in Canberra Street.

The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) said the foreign worker was installing a pre-cast column on the 13th floor of the building when he fell over the edge last Saturday (May 5).

The Straits Times understands that he was not wearing a safety harness when the incident occurred at around 8.30pm.

The police and Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) confirmed that a 44-year old Chinese national was pronounced dead by paramedics at the scene.

Police said the accident is being investigated as an "unnatural death".

A 28-year old Indian worker at the Sembawang site told The Straits Times that he sometimes made small talk with the deceased despite the language barrier between them.

"He wasn't very good (at English), so I asked him if he was married to break the ice", he said. The deceased showed him pictures of his young son and daughter.

The MOM has ordered the main contractor, Expand Construction, to stop all work relating to 0the installation of precast components.

The worker was an employee of Dong Zhou Engineering, a sub-contractor of TSF Construction, which in turn is a sub-contractor for the building work.

TSF Construction said in response to queries that it "regrets" that the accident happened, and will "emphasise even more" on safety with its sub-contractors, adding that it already conducts safety training for all its workers.

Expand Construction and Dong Zhou Engineering could not be reached for comment.

The HDB said it was unable to release further details about the accident due to an MOM investigation.

This is the second reported fatal workplace accident in the area this month. A 44-year old Indian construction worker died after a fall at a worksite in Gambas on May 1.