Tragic Accident at the Rooftop Bar 1‑Altitude
On a quiet Sunday night, a 26‑year‑old security guard named Shaun Tung met an untimely death when he fell into a 4‑metre‑deep hole at the rooftop bar 1‑Altitude. According to witnesses, he was trying to keep two patrons away from a barricaded spot just after midnight.
What Went Wrong?
- Shaun spotted the duo entering a cordoned‑off area and sprinted across to stop them.
- He apparently didn’t see the hidden pit, which the police say was a construction manhole.
- The building’s owner, OUB Centre, and the Manpower Ministry say the incident happened in a zone reserved for exterior cleaning work.
- No one knows if the hole was covered at the time or who the two trespassers were.
Police have labelled the death as unnatural and are still investigating the circumstances.
In Memoriam
Shaun was a devoted father of a two‑year‑old son. He worked part time at 1‑Altitude for roughly a year, clocking in one to two night shifts each month. Yesterday evening, he was cremated, and his family holds a small ceremony in Punggol, hoping for answers and closure.
<img alt="shauntung" data-caption="Mr Shaun Tung, who worked at rooftop bar 1-Altitude, fell into a 4m-deep pit on the roof of One Raffles Place and died.
PHOTO: The Straits Times” data-entity-type=”file” data-entity-uuid=”285faace-cb26-4ebd-aee6-d93b941a13e7″ src=”/sites/default/files/inline-images/st_20190612_twdeath12e5l4_4903463-1536×2281.jpg”/>
When a Case of “Missing Hole” Turns Into a Desperate Search for Justice
Tung Kim Swee, 64, a surveyor by trade, walked into a site on the fateful Sunday that he’d never seen before. He measured a sudden hole in the floor, roughly 1.3 m wide and 1.6 m long, and noted that the area was barely lit. “I didn’t know it was there until someone pointed it out,” he said. After all, the hole was still open.
When he asked around, the only explanation that came back was that it was “for upgrading works.” No one could actually tell him why a hole had appeared in the middle of a working area. “Nobody could explain to us why the hole was there,” Tung added.
Family in Shock
- Rebecca Tung, 30 – a flight attendant – believes her brother was never told about the hole before he started his shift.
- She reports a sense of guilt and frustration at the lack of clear responsibility: “We really don’t know anything, and no amount of ‘sorrys’ is enough.”
- “All we ask for is justice.”
Tung was known for his dedication. He worked full‑time as a gym trainer and hustled two part‑time gigs. In addition, he had been attending night classes for a diploma in sport coaching for the past two years. The family contends that his hard work paid off until that abrupt, tragic day.
Heart‑Wrenching Words from a Mother
Chan Lian Poh, 59, broke down in tears, “My heart is bitter; I don’t know how I will move on. He told me he would take care of us in our old age. But… he has already left us.”
Additional Reporting by Salome Ong
These sorrowful accounts were first shared in The Straits Times – please seek permission if you wish to reproduce the content. The incident remains a sobering reminder of the ever‑critical need for workplace safety and health.
