Unfortunate happenings
Thursday, January 31, 2008
After all that had happened. I could only say that life is so vulnerable. You may be doing fine today but the next thing you know, something happens. In a matter of minutes, your life changes drastically. Before you know it, you have lost someone you love. Just like that.
That's what exactly happened to one of my friend-cum-colleague, J.
I remembered vividly that we were happily having our scrumptious Japanese sushi on Wednesday (29/01/08). The following night, I received a call from one of my friend informing me that J's dad had passed away due to a construction accident. I was shocked! How could this be happening? No one had the real picture of what happened until today.
The whole bunch of us went to the wake to send our condolences. J had to relive the incident and tell us the whole story all over again. While she was speaking, I could feel the sadness as well but I could speak no words. I didn't know what to say, fearing that I might say something wrong. I tried to tell her to 看开 but it's easier said than done. Seeing J cry really clenches my heart.
Her dad was just 49 years of age. So young, so healthy. Who would have thought he would go off just like that? It was all too sudden.
All I can say now is to treasure what you have now. I know it's always easier said. We simply forget to be nice to our loved ones during heated arguments. Sometimes, we even say nasty things to each other as well. I guess it's time for me to learn. (In case some of you think I may forgive the fat ass, well I'm not cos she is not considered as my loved ones)
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Some of the local newspaper have actually published the accident. You may wish to take a look by clicking the following link. If the link fails, I have copied the whole article in this entry. Let us all pray for J's dad (Christians or not).
http://www.zaobao.com/sp/sp080131_521.shtml阿摩园拆除旧公寓发生意外 混凝墙10楼塌坠 压死挖土机管工一栋正在拆除的建筑物发生一块混凝墙(concrete slab)从10楼塌坠，导致在底层操作挖土机的管工首当其冲，被凌空坠下的30公斤重石块压死。
这起罕见意外昨天傍晚6时左右在阿摩园(Ardmore Park)和安徒生路(Anderson Road)交界处的雅茂峰(Ardmore Point)发生。
死者是49岁新加坡男子刘文机。这所大厦原本楼高25层，目前拆剩12层。负责拆除工程的是Neo & Goh Construction Pte Ltd。
刘文机当时坐在挖土机驾驶座位上，连同挖土机困在废墟中。拯救人员携带拯救及压液切割机等器材，傍晚6时40分左右在废墟下的挖土机座位上找到刘文机，不过他已因头部严重受创而断气。
他的雇主吴荣和（63岁）向本报透露，建设局人员昨天下午曾到工地进行安全鉴定，证实工地可继续拆除工作。
吴荣和说：“喝午茶时候，挖土机操作员向死者报告挖土机发生故障，死者于是去查看，没想到一坐上驾驶座，东西(混凝墙)就掉下来了。”
他说，10楼周围墙壁一些已拆除，加上当时风大，相信混凝墙禁不起大风吹刮而坠下。但他说，实际情况有待人力部调查。据知，人力部已对工地发出停工令。
吴荣和说，刘文机任职29年，经验丰富，负责工地的拆除工程。事发时正好是午茶时间，大部分员工不在工地，因此未造成更大伤亡。
建设局答复询问时说，人力部正在调查这起事故，当局需要了解员工当时所进行的工作和混凝墙倒塌原因。
刘文机的长女刘慧嫦（29岁）受访时说，她和妹妹接到父亲出事消息后立刻赶到工地，但死者已回魂乏术。她说：“父亲10多年前在工作时，两根手指被严重夹伤，我以为这回他也只是受伤，没想到就这样走了。”
刘慧嫦形容她父亲很慈祥，是个很照顾家庭的好丈夫与好父亲，为了妻儿温饱，及供四名儿女上理工学院，每日辛勤工作。刘文机和妻子有三女一男。她说: “除了农历新年首两天不开工外，爸爸几乎天天上班。上星期天，他还提醒我下星期五吃团圆饭，这也是我最后一次见到父了了……。”
刘慧嫦说，家人希望当局能尽快给他们一个交代，让他们知道事发经过。
去年10月12日中午，丝丝街附近麦卡南街（McCallum Street）与史坦利街（Stanley Street）交界处的19楼高大厦，也发生拆除工程进行时，17层楼板塌陷，重甸甸的混凝土石块落在16楼，导致这层楼板不胜负荷也跟着塌陷。整栋建筑物从17楼到底层的楼板如骨牌般一层层断裂破开，数十公吨重石块坠落底层停车场，把在驾驶挖土机的53岁新加坡男子压死。