Metal beams fall onto busy Balestier Road

Motorists and pedestrians had a narrow escape when five metal beams, each about 6m long, fell several storeys from a tower crane at a construction site on Balestier Road on Wednesday.

A witness, who wanted to be known only as Mr Choo, 46, told The New Paper that he was waiting at a bus stop in front of Zhongshan Mall when he saw the incident at the worksite for condominium Viio@Balestier.

"I heard banging, and when I looked, I saw these metal parts had dropped on the road," said Mr Choo, who works in sales.

The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) said a bundle of five metal channels had slipped from the lifting gear and fell onto Balestier Road.

No injuries were reported.

MOM said it is investigating the incident and the worksite's contractor, Techkon, had been instructed to stop all lifting operations.

Mr Choo said one beam fell between a car and a bus just as vehicles were starting to move after the traffic lights turned green.

"I was shocked. If the bus had moved, it would have been hit," he said.

He also saw a few metal parts landing behind a man and a woman, who were so stunned they just stood there.

Mr Choo said: "Five to six workers from the construction site cleared the debris from the road and directed traffic. One lane was blocked off."

A spokesman for Techkon said its representatives will be meeting MOM today about the incident.

jmsoh@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on April 7, 2017.
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