'Their hoarding almost cost a life': Cluttered corridor in Boon Lay blocks paramedics from reaching cardiac arrest patient

Clutter is not only a fire hazard, but can also hamper life-saving efforts in times of emergency, as witnessed by a Boon Lay resident recently.

Stomp contributor Ho, who lives at Block 188 Boon Lay Drive, said the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) faced difficulties trying to reach an elderly resident on the 10th floor on Tuesday afternoon (Dec 27). The corridor was too cluttered for paramedics and their stretcher to pass through.

Ho, a Community First Responder, was alerted to the cardiac arrest case at around 12.30pm.

Ho said: "Upon getting the alert, I rushed out (and) the paramedics and I arrived at the unit at almost the same time.

"I saw them struggling with the cluttered corridor. They had to put down their bags and equipment to help clear the items. The stretcher could not pass through as well. Together, we moved the items by passing them to one another in order to clear a path.

"After 45 minutes, the paramedics left with the patient. Only then did the selfish neighbours responsible for the clutter come out to see what had happened.

"One woman quarrelled with the Town Council officer and public rescuers. She said we should have knocked on her door to inform her first before touching her things. She also said her next-door neighbour had placed more items than her and that she needed to put her shoe rack and child's bicycle outside.

"I hope this woman never has to experience what her cardiac arrest neighbour just went through."

Photos taken by Ho show numerous bulky items such as storage boxes, bicycles, trolleys and an e-bike along the corridor.

Ho said town council staff were still clearing the clutter hours after the incident. According to her, the items belong to a few households.

"This is a rental block and it's been like that since they moved in, but they are getting from bad to worse," the Stomp contributor added.

"I work very closely with the town council but most of our efforts are usually wasted. The town council has sent advisories, warnings and summonses but there is no point.

"These rental units have easily gotten their summonses waived at their Meet-The-People Session.

"When accidents happen to you, you demand kampong spirit. But when you are at fault, you shout and ask why we so kaypoh! Their hoarding almost cost a life.”

According to SCDF's fire safety guidelines, a minimum clear escape passage of 1.2m clearance is to be maintained along HDB corridors.

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This article was first published in The New Paper. Permission required for reproduction.