Elderly man in Paya Lebar falls and injures head after wheelchair gets stuck in drain with broken cover

An elderly man sustained injuries to his head and knees after falling from his wheelchair, which got stuck in a drain with a broken cover in Paya Lebar. 

The incident took place below Block 121, Paya Lebar Way at around 6am on Nov 6, reported Shin Min Daily News.

The man's maid was pushing him when one of the wheels from his wheelchair got stuck, witnesses told the Chinese evening daily. 

Photos provided by these witnesses showed the man bleeding from his forehead and knees, and his helper cleaning his wounds with tissue.

The man's wife, surnamed Feng, told Shin Min her husband suffered a stroke in 2008 and had been recovering well until a fall in 2014 caused an infection.

He now has limited mobility, and requires a wheelchair to get around. He also has heart problems and relies on a pacemaker, his wife told Shin Min.

On weekdays, the helper would bring him to a nearby coffee shop for breakfast at around 6am, pushing his wheelchair over that drain that happens to be on their usual path, the 73-year-old woman said.

The couple had noticed that cracks and small holes in the drain covers around three months ago.

The elderly man would warn his helper to be careful when going over the drain but had forgotten to do so on the day of the accident, his wife explained.

Speaking to Shin Min Daily, the man's 45-year-old helper said that when the wheelchair got stuck in the drain opening, Feng lost his balance and fell forward.

"I was so scared that my legs were weak, so I also ended up falling," she recounted. 

Due to the elderly man being larger in size, the helper was unable to help him back into the wheelchair alone.

"There were many passers-by who helped, an auntie even bought him a drink. After that I brought him home." 

She added that they did not take him to the hospital as he was not experiencing any dizziness or vomiting.

The elderly man told Shin Min that he had felt scared when he fell. He added that his wounds still hurt, especially when he showers. 

Town council has replaced drain cover

Responding to AsiaOne's queries, a spokesperson from the Marine Parade Town Council said that it replaced the broken drain cover at around 4pm on the day of the incident and conducted a thorough inspection of other drain covers in the area. 

"We are currently undergoing improvement works under the Neighbourhood Renewal Programme in this precinct. As part of the works, the Town Council has made plans to upgrade the apron drain in this area," said the spokesperson.

"We are sorry to hear about this incident involving the resident and hope [he] is recovering well."

The town council added that they have reached out to Feng. 

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bhavya.rawat@asiaone.com