Girl who fell from 4th storey was trying to grab school badge

Two people fell from HDB blocks in separate incidents in as many days.

One fell from the third storey and the other from the fourth. Fortunately, no one died, although both parties suffered injuries.

Yesterday, a suspected drug user trying to evade arrest jumped from the third storey of a block in Hougang. Monday's incident in Yishun involved a schoolgirl who was late for school.

Lee Wei Ting, 16, panicked when she realised she was already late and her school badge was missing. She needed it as it is part of her uniform.

She discovered it on her freshly washed spare uniform, which was hanging near the kitchen window.

In a hurry, she stood on a chair and stretched to reach it, but lost her balance and fell out the window, Shin Min Daily News reported.

The freak accident happened at 7.10am at Block 138 , Yishun Ring Road.

Wei Ting survived the fall, but is in the intensive care unit of Khoo Teck Puat Hospital.

She suffered multiple fractures to her spine and a broken rib, Shin Min reported. She said that due to her spinal injuries, she felt a lot of pain on her left leg.

Wei Ting told the Chinese evening newspaper that she is scheduled for an operation today.

"The doctor said he would be operating on my spine and would observe to see how my recovery goes," she said.

She said that if she does not recover well from her injuries, her posture could be affected, or worse, she might not be able to walk again.

Recalling the incident, she said: "I had to reach school at 7.20am, so it was already very late then. I thought I could save time by standing on a chair to try to reach for the badge rather than taking down the bamboo pole it was hanging on."

Wei Ting said she did not know how she lost her balance, but suddenly found herself falling out of the kitchen window to the ground below.

"I don't remember what happened after that, just that I was sent straight to hospital," she said.

When The New Paper visited the block, a neighbour living below Wei Ting's flat said she had heard a loud crash when the girl fell.

Madam Lim, 60, said she thought someone had thrown a heavy object out of the window.

Curious, she went to take a look and was startled to find a girl lying on her side at the bottom of the block.

"She looked like she was sleeping," Madam Lim told TNP.

She said that the girl looked unconscious and only stirred after paramedics arrived.

She then noticed that the bamboo pole she had used to hang her clothes had snapped.

The bamboo poles from the flats below may have broken Wei Ting's fall.

RUSHED TO HELP

Wei Ting's parents had already left home for work when the accident occurred.

Her brother was in the shower at the time, Shin Min reported.

He rushed down in a panic after he realised that she had fallen out the window.

Madam Lim told TNP that she saw him follow his sister in the ambulance.

When The New Paper spoke to Wei Ting's parents at the hospital, they appeared tired and distressed.

Her mother would only reveal that she was conscious and that her injuries were not serious.

Police said they got a call at 7.17am informing them that a girl in her teens was found injured in vicinity of Yishun Ring Road.

The spokesman said the teen was conscious when taken to hospital.

Investigations are still ongoing.

After news of her accident spread, Wei Ting's teachers from Northland Secondary School rushed to the hospital to visit her.

Her classmates had also written "get well" cards, Wei Ting said.

She said that she hoped she could recover as soon as possible so she can return to school and finish her O-level examinations.

Northland Secondary School principal Koh Yiak Kheng told TNP: "The school was informed by a resident staying in the same block of flats about the unfortunate incident yesterday morning.

"We are currently in close contact with our student and her parents to offer support.

"We hope for her speedy recovery, and will provide the necessary support to help her catch up on her school work."

yufengk@sph.com.sg

This article was published on May 7 in The New Paper.

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