Singaporean Survives Eight Storey Jump After His Clothes Snagged Onto Rack During Fall

Featured image credit: coconuts.co

A fall from an 11th storey window should have ended his life, but in a plot-twist turn of fate, a humble clothes rack gave a 68 year-old man a second chance in life when he jumped.

The elderly man’s clothes were snagged by a rack and rescuers helped him as he dangled from it.

Credit: tnp.sg

A Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) spokesman said they received a call about a man hanging from a clothes rack at Block 410, Tampines St 41 around 3.30pm on July 11th.

“A man was brought to safety from the eighth floor by the SCDF using a combined platform ladder (CPL),” he said.

The CPL is a hydraulic ladder-platform used for high-rise operations.

credit: tnp. Sg

“The man was taken to Changi General Hospital in a conscious and stable condition,” said the spokesman.

The man’s son, who wanted to be known only as Mr Sin, a 34-year-old luggage handler, said his father had fallen from the kitchen window yesterday when he was alone at home.

“The police told me that his trousers got caught on the clothes rack as he fell,” said Mr Sin.

“It was luck. I don’t think he was hurt or suffered any injuries.”

Mr Sin said his father had always been quiet and the family was quite shocked when they received a call from the police.

“His only ailment is that he’s hard of hearing. He seemed a bit depressed recently, but we were shocked he tried to jump,” he said. “He’s usually very quiet and spends his time watching television or staring into space.”

“When we got home, we found the windows open, but there was no note or anything,” said Mr Sin.

The police also confiscated a 1.5m metal ladder from the family home, believed to be used by the man to climb out the window.

Mr Sin said the family will be keeping an eye on his father.

“At least he is okay, but we’ll now need to have at least one person at home to watch him when he gets back,” he said.

A police spokesman said the man was arrested for attempted suicide and that investigations were ongoing.

For Malaysians, if ever you are having thoughts of suicide or are in emotional distress, you can seek for someone to talk to at befrienders.org at 03-79568144 or 03-79568145.