Migrant worker found dead in Jurong West warehouse used as dorm
A migrant worker was found dead inside a warehouse in Jurong West early on Monday.
The 36-year-old Indian national was found in the factory-converted dormitory in Fan Yoong Road in Jurong West.
The police said they received a call for assistance at 1.45am and the man was pronounced dead by a paramedic. Investigations into the death are ongoing.
A spokesman for the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) said it was aware of the incident and expressed its condolences to the man's family.
"We have informed his family members and employer as well as the embassy," the spokesman told The New Paper.
"We are also working with the worker's employer and the Migrant Workers' Centre to provide assistance to his family."
Factory-converted dorms are industrial developments or warehouses that have been partially converted to living quarters for workers who typically work on-site.
Almost 100,000 workers are currently living in more than 1,200 converted dorms.
Monday's incident comes amid a recent spate of suicides and attempted suicides involving migrant workers in dorms.
BETTER SUPPORT
Education Minister Lawrence Wong, who co-chairs the Covid-19 task force, yesterday said the authorities are looking into better supporting the mental and physical health needs of migrant workers here.
This includes assessing whether workers will be allowed to leave their dormitories on their rest days, Mr Wong said at a virtual press conference.
The Health Ministry's director of medical services Kenneth Mak said the interagency task force, together with the Ministry of Manpower and private stakeholders, has been working to support the welfare of such workers in various ways, including helping them celebrate holidays and providing avenues for help and counselling.
He added that a work group is looking at mental health issues faced by the workers to see how their mental health can be better supported. - DAVID SUN
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Migrant Workers' Centre: 6536-2692
HealthServe: +65-3138-4443
Samaritans of Singapore: 1800-221-4444
Singapore Association for Mental Health: 1800-283-7019
Institute of Mental Health's Mobile Crisis Service: 6389-2222
Care Corner Counselling Centre (Mandarin): 1800-353-5800
Silver Ribbon: 6386-1928
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