Hari Raya lift horror in Jurong leaves woman with fractured leg

He had been looking forward to a Hari Raya celebration at his nephew's home on Saturday night, but Mr Zulkiffle Saad and some of his family members ended up in an emergency ward.

The lift they were in had plummeted four floors at Block 542, Jurong West Avenue 1.

The impact left Mr Zulkiffle's sister, who is in her 30s, seriously injured with a fractured leg.

Three other family members in the lift, including his 10-year-old niece, also sustained cuts and bruises.

Mr Zulkiffle, 48, told The New Paper yesterday that he was just stepping out of the lift when there was a "loud snapping sound" and the door closed on him.

"I was stunned. Luckily, my brother-in-law pulled me back in, or else I would have lost my leg. Suddenly, the lift dropped, it was so fast that we were not prepared at all," he recounted.

"Before I knew it, we were below the ground level. My sister was crying out in pain and her leg was badly injured."

Mr Zulkiffle said the lift had gone below the first floor and about a third of it was "underground".

Fearing that the lift would suddenly move again and anxious to get help for his sister, Mr Zulkiffle pried open the lift door.

Before I knew it, we were below the ground level. My sister was crying out in pain and her leg was badly injured.Mr Zulkiffle Saad

He and his brother-in-law then carried her out of the lift, where other family members were waiting.

The Singapore Civil Defence Force told TNP that it received a call for assistance at 9.40pm and no one was trapped in the lift when they arrived.

Mr Zulkiffle's sister was taken to Ng Teng Fong General Hospital.

Responding to TNP queries, a spokesman for the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) said that it was told of the incident yesterday morning.

The spokesman said: "In the interest of public safety, BCA has immediately issued a notice to suspend the lift for further investigation.

"The town council is required to appoint an independent professional engineer to investigate the cause of the incident and submit a report with the recommended rectification works to BCA.

"The lift is only allowed to resume its operation after the investigations are completed and the necessary rectification works by the town council's lift contractor are certified by the professional engineer, which must be done to the satisfaction of BCA."

Mr Zulkiffle's nephew, Mr Daeng Muhammad, 35,said he heard a crash when the lift fell and rushed to help.

The workplace safety officer, who has been living there for more than six years, said a similar incident happened during the Hari Raya period last year.

The same lift had dropped from the fourth storey with a group of teenagers inside.

No one was injured then.

Mr Daeng is not taking any chances now.

He said: "It's the stairs for me and my family, We're too scared to take the lift."