Actress Judee Tan recounts 'near-death' experience in floatation tank: Company apologises, issues refund
Floatation therapy centre Palm Ave Float Club has issued an apology and a refund after local actress Judee Tan recounted a harrowing experience in one of its sensory deprivation tanks.
Tan took to Instagram last November to share her 'near-death experience' and expressed how appalled she was at the owners' 'lack of responsibility'.
In her post, she shared how her hair became trapped in the filtration system, nearly causing her to drown.
Tan, a regular patron of the club since 2019, explained to Stomp how, during the session, her hair became entangled in the filtration outlet, pulling her head underwater.
"It's 0 to 1000," she recounted, emphasising the suddenness and severity of the situation. "Imagine being in a half-asleep state, fully relaxed, and then suddenly realising a machine is sucking your hair and drawing your head underwater and you will die if you don't rip your hair out."
In a statement to Stomp, the club's founder Derrick Foo and co-owner Sarah Chan expressed regret for the distress caused and acknowledged that their initial response "could have been more empathetic".
They clarified that a full refund for Tan's membership, covering seven previous visits, was offered as a "gesture of goodwill".
"Over the past ten years, we have conducted approximately 50,000 float sessions safely," they said.
"While this was an isolated incident, it underscores our commitment to continuous improvement.
"We take all feedback seriously and remain dedicated to providing a safe and welcoming experience for every guest."
The company maintains that its float pods are designed with safety in mind, citing features such as a covered filtration outlet, shallow water depth, and a voice prompt alerting users to the end of their session.
They also stated that guests are advised, both in a briefing video and in person, to position their heads at the entrance of the pod, away from the filtration outlet.
However, Tan disputes this, claiming she was never explicitly told to avoid the filtration end and that other patrons she spoke to were also not briefed on this.
"During my very first session in 2019, I was told specifically there's no specific way and either side for the head is fine," she said.
She also questions the company's assertion of a safe track record, alleging that a former staff member had previously raised concerns about the filtration system.
Following the incident, Palm Ave Float Club says they have enhanced their safety measures, including clearer signage and an extended delay before the filtration system activates.
Mr Foo and Ms Chan said: "After the initial refund, Ms Tan requested additional compensation for ongoing psychological care.
"While we sympathise with her experience, we concluded that the full membership refund was a fair resolution."
Tan informed Stomp that she is currently receiving both psychological and physical medical treatment.
"Why offer sympathies when it's their responsibility that's required?" she asked.
"It feels patronising, hollow and further insult to injury."
She expressed disappointment with the company's handling of the situation, saying they initially ignored her concerns and only reached out after her social media posts gained traction.
She feels their focus has been on protecting their image rather than addressing the serious safety concerns raised by her experience.
"They've never once asked me what happened in the tank," she said.
Tan added that she severely underestimated the psychological trauma caused by the incident.
"I am experiencing very bad symptoms and cannot function well and have reduced capacity to cope with pressure," she shared.
"Physically, I was also told that I need more sessions than what we initially hoped.
"I had to stop most of my work and defer my studies."
Tan is currently avoiding float sessions, as advised by her therapist.
