3 workers taken to hospital after lightning strikes BTO construction site
Three workers were taken to hospital after lightning struck near their work site on Dec 28, 2023.
On the afternoon of that day, the Housing Board was alerted to the incident at the Bartley Beacon BTO construction site.
In response to queries from The Straits Times, HDB said three workers were working on the roof of a block at the construction site when it started to rain.
“As the workers were packing up and moving to shelter in accordance with safety procedures during rain, a bolt of lightning struck near the area they were at,” HDB said.
HDB added that the workers reported feeling dizzy after the lightning struck.
The Singapore Civil Defence Force told ST that it received a call for assistance at No 31 Mount Vernon Road on Dec 28, and that three workers were taken to hospital – two of them to Tan Tok Seng Hospital and the third to Singapore General Hospital.
HDB said that all three workers “are recovering well and expected to be discharged soon”. Together with the contractor, the Housing Board “will continue to closely monitor their condition to ensure the well-being of the workers”.
In an earlier update on Dec 15, 2023, Meteorological Services Singapore (MSS) said thundery showers were expected on most days in the second half of that month.
In its website, MSS states that thunderstorms occur all year round in Singapore. On average, the island experiences about 167 thunderstorm days and 176 lightning days a year.
When contacted regarding the incident, the Ministry of Manpower said it was aware and investigating the matter.
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