Singapore migrant workers hailed as heroes for saving woman from sinkhole

Four migrant workers in Singapore are being hailed as heroes for saving a woman after her car fell into a sinkhole over the weekend.

The black Mazda toppled and became trapped after a sinkhole suddenly appeared on the Tanjong Katong Road in eastern Singapore on Saturday afternoon.

Construction foreman Pitchai Udaiyappan Subbiah and three crew members were working nearby when they heard a loud noise and rushed to the spot.

“There was one car, and one woman was inside the car. I was thinking, somebody fell inside, I want to help,” Mr Subbiah, who spoke in Tamil, told reporters.

Mr Subbiah and his crew used a nylon rope to pull the woman out of the car in under five minutes before the hole filled with water. “One of my workers wanted to go down and help her, but I said they (wouldn’t be able to) climb out. So, I told them to throw (her) the rope first,” he was quoted as saying by Malay Mail.

"Someone had fallen in. We were determined to save her as fast as possible. That was the goal. We saved a life … whatever happens, that is all that matters.”

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The woman was taken to hospital by local authorities. Mountbatten MP Gho Sze Kee said the woman was “ok sans some shoulder pain, which the medical professionals have assessed to be muscular".

The Mazda was lifted out of the sinkhole with the help of a crane on Sunday.

Singapore's national water agency, PUB, initially stated that the Civil Defence Force had carried out the rescue and rushed the woman to hospital. But netizens quickly pointed out that a video from the scene showed the migrant workers were the first responders.

"Let’s give credit where it’s due. Migrant workers are generally invisible but in moments of bravery and selfless action they should be acknowledged," one of the top comments on PUB's Facebook post on the sinkhole read.

“Salute to the brave and fast-acting workers,” read another.

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Following the backlash, the water agency, in an updated statement on Sunday, acknowledged and showed appreciation for the "quick actions by the workers on-site who pulled the driver of the vehicle out of the sinkhole".

Goh Pei Ming, MP for Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC, acknowledged the woman was rescued by the workers.

The Civil Defence Force said the authorities would reach out to the workers "to commend them for their bravery and prompt action in saving a life".

The water agency said recovery works at the site were ongoing and updates would be provided when ready. "The sinkhole has been filled with liquefied stabilised soil to further stabilise the area, after which road reinstatement works will commence,” it said on Monday.

"As a precautionary measure, PUB will be calling a safety time-out to review and ensure the safety of similar sewer construction works across Singapore.”

Last year, an Indian tourist vanished into a sinkhole in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Vijaya Lakshmi Gali, 48, fell into the 8m-deep sinkhole on 23 August while walking to a temple in the Masjid India district. The search for her was called off in September.