Boy sneaks onto rooftop of Jurong West HDB block, friends dare him to jump

It was a chilling sight — a boy perched on the 18th-storey ledge of an HDB block.

To make things even more alarming, his friends dared him to jump.

A resident had been hanging out his laundry to dry when he spotted the children on the rooftop of Blk 989C, Jurong West St 93 and shouted out in alarm.

The boy, along with five other kids, fled the scene after getting startled by the sound.

The incident apparently took place a few months ago, the 33-year-old resident told Shin Min Daily News on Tuesday (Oct 8).

How did they get up there?

Apparently, the children managed to sneak onto the rooftop because the hatch was left unlocked.

Thrilled about their secret hideout, they started to have a little horseplay there.

Fortunately, the kids were about to do something dangerous when the resident thwarted them in time.

He tried to look for the children downstairs but they were long gone by then. The man later informed the authorities of the incident.

According to the West Coast Town Council, the rooftop access door was not secured at that time as the block was undergoing cleaning.

A sign was also put up, warning the public not to enter the restricted area.

Only personnel authorised by town councils — such as those carrying out maintenance and emergency lift-rescue work — are granted access to the roof.

In recent years, some youngsters have shown a penchant for climbing heights by turning out-of-bounds HDB facilities into impromptu playgrounds.

Just last week, several schoolboys tried out parkour moves by leaping off the ledges of a block in Serangoon North.

"Parents should keep a close eye on their children. If mischievous kids get into accidents, they'll regret it for life," the resident said.

lamminlee@asiaone.com