Police break into Woodlands flat after man deemed to 'pose danger' to himself, apprehended under Mental Health Act

A 30-year-old man was apprehended after he locked himself in a room in his Woodlands flat.

Police officers were prompted to break into the unit after he was assessed to pose a danger to himself.

The incident happened in an eight-floor unit of Block 537 Woodlands Drive 16 at about 3.55pm on Aug 23.

Videos, which show rescuers from the Singapore Civil Defence Force's (SCDF) Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (DART) rappelling from a 10th-floor unit, started surfacing on social media on Thursday morning.

As a rescuer throws down a safety net from the 10th-floor unit, two officers started rappelling down. They are then seen securing the net over the windows of the man's unit.

SCDF firefighters are also seen dismantling a safety life air pack as officers from the Special Operations Command (SOC) arrive with cutting tools.

In response to AsiaOne's queries, SCDF said its DART rescuers were on standby as a precautionary measure, adding that the man was taken conscious to Woodlands Hospital.

The police told AsiaOne that officers from the Crisis Negotiation Unit and SOC responded to the incident, adding that officers gained entry into his room after he was assessed to pose a danger to himself.

He was subsequently apprehended under Section 7(1) of the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) Act. 

Under the Act, the police have the power to arrest anyone believed to be a danger to himself or other people.

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editor@asiaone.com