PUBLISHED ONJuly 01, 2024 9:58 AMByLim KeweiA woman has accused a massage parlour in Bugis of shirking responsibility after she suffered painful burns and peeling skin following a TCM treatment conducted there.
The customer, surnamed He, 24, had visited an unnamed foot massage parlour located along Jalan Sultan at around 3pm on May 10, reported Shin Min Daily News.
Under the therapist's recommendation, He decided to undergo a moxibustion treatment, a TCM therapy which involves the burning of herbs on or near the skin.
In the treatment room, the herbs are placed into two metal containers attached to a flexible stand. These containers are placed above the customer lying down on the treatment bed.
On the day of the incident, He said that the flexible stand suddenly collapsed after the therapist left the room to retrieve an item.
The hot metal container fell onto her exposed skin, and the ash inside spewed all over her body, causing burns on her back and legs.
"I jumped up immediately," she recounted. "I've never experienced this much pain before, it nearly killed me."
The Singapore Civil Defence Force confirmed that they conveyed one person to Singapore General Hospital for treatment that day.
Following the incident, both parties have been unable to agree on compensation.
The manager of the foot massage parlour, surnamed Zhu, said the incident was not due to the negligence of her staff.
Zhu, 48, told the Chinese evening daily that He was alone in the treatment room when the incident happened.
"We have always been paying attention to safety measures and have never encountered such an incident. The stand is a reinforced version purchased last year, it is not possible for it to come loose," she added.
Zhu claimed that the customer repeatedly kicked the blanket during the treatment and might have accidentally bumped into the stand.
The manager also pointed out that He had asked for a $50,000 compensation, an amount she could not accept.
"She said it was compensation for mental distress, but it was not our fault, how could she ask for such a large sum?"
While the massage parlour is willing to pay for the customer's medical expenses, any additional amounts are up for discussion, Zhu said.
But He stressed that she did not touch the stand nor cause it to fall and accused the massage parlour of shirking responsibility.
"I have no reason to hurt myself. How could it be that I suffered such serious injuries and scars all over my body just to frame her?" she questioned.
The customer confirmed that she had asked for $50,000 as compensation, explaining that her condition caused her great physical and mental distress. She also clarified that she was not trying to extort the business.
He said that she has had to repeatedly visit the hospital for treatment, racking up bills of over $1,000. The woman also said that she has trouble falling asleep due to her peeling skin.
However, she is now seeking over $2,000 in compensation for her medical expenses and lost wages, as well as the cost of remedies for her scars.
"I just want the compensation I deserve. If the massage parlour refuses to take responsibility, I will take legal action and seek justice."
lim.kewei@asiaone.com
