A 23-year-old worker died after scaffolding collapsed onto a lorry at a construction site on Jurong Port Road in Singapore on the morning of August 3. The Ministry of Manpower (MOM), police, and the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) responded to the incident at around 9:50 a.m. at 30 Jurong Port Road.

According to MOM, the victim was struck by a formwork structure that fell from the fifth storey of a building under construction while it was being repositioned. Upon arrival, SCDF personnel found the worker trapped in the driver’s seat of the lorry beneath the collapsed scaffolding. Rescue teams, assisted by site employees, used hydraulic equipment to remove the debris and extricate the man, who was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police investigations are ongoing, but preliminary findings do not indicate any foul play. MOM has instructed HPC Builders, the site occupier, to halt all formwork activities at the location. The ministry emphasized the importance of identifying and mitigating risks associated with formwork structures, ensuring they are erected and repositioned according to approved designs, and that only approved equipment is used.

Jurong Port, where the construction is taking place, stated the site is intended for its upcoming integrated construction and prefabrication hub scheduled for completion in 2027. The port operator expressed condolences to the victim’s family and said it was providing support to them while cooperating with authorities to determine the cause of the accident. Jurong Port also reiterated its commitment to safety and noted established procedures are in place at its worksites.

This incident follows a recent pattern of workplace accidents in Singapore. On June 26, MOM announced several safety enhancement measures, including a two-week voluntary safety timeout, after seven workers were killed in five separate accidents within a four-week period. As of that announcement, there had been 21 workplace fatalities in 2026, an increase from 18 fatalities during the same timeframe in 2025.

MOM urged employers to maintain strict adherence to workplace safety standards, including the implementation of adequate risk controls, safe work procedures, and proper supervision to prevent further tragedies.

Efforts to obtain further comment from HPC Builders and Keehans, the employer, have been made but no additional information was immediately available.