Man, 24, rescued after standing on 38th floor ledge of Jurong East block for over 5 hours

A 24-year-old man climbed over a 38th-floor staircase landing at a Jurong East HDB block, staying on the ledge for over five hours on Monday (Aug 12) afternoon before being persuaded to step back to safety.

The police told AsiaOne that they received a call for assistance at Block 21 Teban Gardens in Jurong East at about 11.25am that day. Upon their arrival, the man was spotted standing at the ledge.

Officers from the Crisis Negotiation Unit (CNU) and Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) also responded to the incident.

Over 20 worried residents had gathered below the block to watch what was happening, reported Shin Min Daily News.

An eyewitness surnamed Lin, 45, said she spotted the man standing on the ledge at about 12pm.

"His hand was wrapped around the pillar and he kept looking down. Later, he looked at text messages on his phone and also made calls," recounted the resident.

She added that the man started shouting and pacing along the ledge when officers from the CNU arrived, but gradually calmed down.

Arrested under Mental Health Act

The SCDF told AsiaOne they received a call for assistance at about 1.35pm and arrived to find the man sitting on the ledge.

A safety life air pack was deployed by SCDF, and rescuers from the Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (DART) were on standby as a precautionary measure.

According to Shin Min, two DART rescuers abseiled down to the 38th-floor stairwell and pulled the man in.

The police said the man had stepped back onto the corridor after successful negotiation by the CNU and was eventually brought to safety.

He was subsequently apprehended under the Mental Health Act, and no injuries were reported.

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lim.kewei@asiaone.com