Man left with 11cm cut after Waterway Point seat collapses under him and 1-year-old daughter

Finding an empty seat in Singapore's malls is like finding an oasis in a desert. But one shopper was in for a rude shock when the seat he'd found fell apart the moment he sat on it.

He was left with an 11cm-long wound on his leg after a wooden seat collapsed at Waterway Point on Thursday (Sept 3) evening, the mall confirmed.

Sharing pictures of his injuries and the seat in question on Facebook the same day, the victim, Victor Tan, urged those who visit the mall to take note of the potential hazard.

"This sitting platform (without the 'Do Not Sit' social distancing sticker) collapsed the moment I sat on it with my daughter. I'm 70 plus kg and she's 11kg," he wrote.

"This could have resulted in more serious injuries or even fatal ones especially for the elderly," Tan said, adding in a comment that he often sees elderly shoppers resting on similar seats at the mall.

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Tan, who was at the mall with his wife and 16-month-old daughter, also sustained abrasions on his back and several rips in his shorts, he told Shin Min Daily News.

The accident happened out of the blue, just as he sat down to clean his daughter's hands while waiting for his wife, he recounted.

Fortunately, his daughter was sitting on his leg and he was able to hold her to stop her from falling.

"I immediately checked if my daughter or I suffered any injuries. There were also some kind members of the public who came to help us," he told the Chinese daily.

While his daughter didn't cry or fuss after the fall, she sustained some abrasions, he said, adding that he would keep a close watch on her condition.

Raising concerns about the wooden seat, which appeared to be hollow, Tan called on the mall to take responsibility for the accident and provide an explanation.

In response to media queries, Waterway Point said that security personnel and service staff had tended to the shopper and accompanied him to receive further medical assistance.

"For the safety and well-being of all shoppers, the wooden seats at Waterway Point's Village Square have been cordoned off, and we will implement further measures as necessary," the mall added.

kimberlylim@asiaone.com