‘Nobody understands me’: Woman, 41, rescued from 16th-floor ledge in Sengkang after sitting there for hours
A 41-year-old woman was rescued after she was found sitting precariously on the 16th-floor ledge of a Sengkang HDB flat, with a resident recalling her saying twice: “Nobody understands me”.
The woman was taken conscious to the hospital and was subsequently apprehended under the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) Act.
The incident happened at about 9pm on Sept 14 at Block 123B Rivervale Drive in Sengkang.
A reader alerted Shin Min Daily News to the incident, saying someone at the block was threatening to jump from the building. Photos provided by the reader show Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) personnel setting up an inflatable safety life air pack at the foot of the block.
When reporters visited the scene on the morning of Sept 15, 63-year-old resident Feng Jing Ting (transliterated) said she was preparing to rest at about 11pm when her son returned home and informed her that he was unable to take the lift up because of the incident.
Feng, who lives on the 17th floor, then contacted a neighbour, who opened her door to find a woman sitting on a low wall near the staircase between the 16th and 17th floors. SCDF personnel and police officers were already at the scene.
Photos showed a woman sitting on the ledge near the staircase. She had her back against the wall, with both feet still on the inside of the wall and both hands gripping a metal handle. She appeared dazed.
Resident heard woman say ‘Nobody understands me’
Feng said she later opened her own door to take a look and saw SCDF rescue equipment — including rescue nets — laid out outside her unit.
“I heard the woman say twice, ‘Nobody understands me.’ The police then told me to close my door,” she added.
Feng said that she received news at around 11.25pm that the woman had been rescued.
“I heard that SCDF had already deployed the rescue net. When the woman tried to jump, SCDF personnel descended by rope and rescued her in time,” she said.
Feng, who has lived at the block for 28 years, said this was the first time she had encountered such an incident. She described it as “very frightening”, but was relieved that the woman was eventually rescued.
Another resident living on the 16th floor said she later saw the woman being taken away in an ambulance.
Woman, 41, apprehended under Mental Health Act
In response to Stomp’s queries, SCDF confirmed that it received a call for help at about 9.30pm.
One safety life air pack was set up at the foot of the block as a precautionary measure. SCDF subsequently deployed nets, and Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (DART) rescuers rappelled from a unit above to rescue the person.
Police said that a 41-year-old woman was conveyed conscious to the hospital and was apprehended under the Mental Health Act.
Residents relieved woman was rescued
A resident from a nearby block, who declined to be named, said he saw many onlookers gathered at the scene at about 10pm on Sept 14.
He eventually left the area and only learnt the following morning that the woman had been rescued, expressing relief that she was safe.
Feng, who witnessed the incident, said she could empathise with those going through difficult periods in life as she is also caring for her husband, who has dementia.
“It may really be difficult at first, but once you get through this hurdle, everything will get better,” she encouraged.
In a separate incident, a pair of teenage girls were spotted sitting on the seventh-storey ledge of a multi-storey carpark in Toa Payoh for hours before being rescued.
Helplines
Mental well-being
- National helpline: 1771 (24 hours) / 6669-1771 (via WhatsApp)
- Samaritans of Singapore: 1-767 (24 hours) / 9151-1767 (24 hours CareText via WhatsApp)
- Singapore Association for Mental Health: 1800-283-7019
- Silver Ribbon Singapore: 6386-1928
- Chat, Centre of Excellence for Youth Mental Health: 6493-6500/1
- Women’s Helpline (Aware): 1800-777-5555 (weekdays, 10am to 6pm)
- The Seniors Helpline: 1800-555-5555 (weekdays, 9am to 5pm)
Counselling
- Touchline (Counselling): 1800-377-2252
- Touch Care Line (for caregivers): 6804-6555
- Counselling and Care Centre: 6536-6366
- We Care Community Services: 3165-8017
- Shan You Counselling Centre: 6741-9293
- Clarity Singapore: 6757-7990
Online resources
- mindline.sg/fsmh
- eC2.sg
- tinklefriend.sg
- chat.mentalhealth.sg
- carey.carecorner.org.sg (for those aged 13 to 25)
- limitless.sg/talk (for those aged 12 to 25)
- shanyou.org.sg
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