Wake held for Singaporean man, wife killed in Italy gas explosion as probe into cause continues

Investigations into the suspected gas explosion tied to the deaths of a Singaporean man and his wife in Italy are ongoing, as their ashes were brought back to Singapore for memorial services on April 7 and 8.

The investigations involved a range of technicians who installed and maintained the liquid petroleum gas system that powered the heating and kitchen of the couple’s Molazzana villa, which was reduced to rubble after a suspected malfunction to the system led to the explosion late on Dec 21, 2024, Italian media reported.

Mr Seetoh Kwok Meng and his wife Chang Kai En, originally from Taiwan, had been living in the Italian commune in Lucca, Tuscany, for around six years, according to Mr Seetoh’s brother and Makansutra founder K.F. Seetoh.

The villa’s former owners and manager of the company that installed the house’s boiler, were among those also issued notices by Italian public prosecutors to assist with investigations. An expert engineer was appointed to reconstruct the likely causes of the incident.

At least 19 people have been investigated, including some on charges of negligence, manslaughter and causing collapse to a building, Italian daily La Nazione reported.

The victims’ ashes had been repatriated to Singapore for a memorial service attended by close ones, said Mr K.F. Seetoh on April 8, more than three months after the tragedy.

A funeral attended by family members of Mr Seetoh Kwok Meng and Ms Chang was held in Lucca on March 28. The pair were dearly remembered by locals, with Molazzana mayor Andrea Talani making arrangements to commemorate them.

Mr K.F. Seetoh thanked Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Sim Ann for their assistance with his brother’s affairs.

He added that manoeuvring the legalities and cross-border protocols to repatriate the remains had been a “nightmare”, but said his family can now find closure. He also thanked Mr Talani, who attended the funeral, for expediting the repatriation process.

A week ago, Mr K.F. Seetoh spent time in Lucca, where his brother had set up his retirement home, noting how local vendors had shared good memories of his brother.

He also shared a photo on Facebook of a jigsaw puzzle that a local restaurant had made out of a photo of Mr Seetoh Kwok Meng and his wife.

This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.