Segar LRT accident victim was operations manager at primary school, possibly fell due to low blood sugar
The 68-year-old man who died at Segar LRT station was on his way to a primary school in Sengkang where he worked as an operations manager, and was believed to have fallen on the train tracks after experiencing low blood sugar.
Loh Hee Chen died after he fell onto the tracks of Bukit Panjang LRT’s Segar station and was run over and dragged by a train at about 5am on May 18.
According to Shin Min Daily News, Loh worked as an operations manager at an undisclosed primary school in Sengkang.
When reporters from the Chinese news site visited Loh’s wake on May 19, Loh’s son shared that his father was on the way to work when the accident occurred.
“He is usually the first to reach the school, so he goes out very early. He has low blood sugar, and his friends mentioned before that he experienced dizziness and discomfort on a few occasions. I suspect this is why he fell onto the train tracks,” the 30-year-old salesperson said.
Mr Loh, who declined to reveal his full name and did not wish to be photographed, revealed that SMRT representatives had visited his home, but he chose to deal with his father’s funeral arrangements before holding discussions.
“Further investigations cannot bring my father back to life, but I hope the authorities can review existing safety measures,” he said.
Questioned series of events surrounding accident
The younger Loh also raised several concerns regarding the accident:
- Whether the gap between the train doors and platform was too wide
- Whether trains are equipped to detect objects or individuals on the track and therefore brake in time
- Whether the train stopped immediately after the emergency stop button was pressed, as claimed by eyewitnesses
- What happened in the time between Loh falling onto the track and the authorities being alerted to the incident
Shin Min has reached out to SMRT for comment.
Loh’s brother-in-law, Mr Liang (transliteration), expressed sorrow at the man’s passing and hoped that such tragedies would never happen again. Loh had been married to his wife for over 30 years and reportedly had a happy family life.
The 68-year-old’s cortège will set off for Mandai Crematorium on May 22.
Informed of father’s ‘unusual’ absence from school
Loh’s family rushed down to Segar LRT station after receiving news from his school that the 68-year-old had not shown up to work. It was previously reported that the family was distraught after identifying his body — his son sobbed and hit a wall with his fist, and his wife was conveyed to Woodlands Hospital due to grief.
The younger Loh said he was surprised to receive the phone call: “My father always reached school on time. So when the school suddenly called, I thought it was very unusual. I only found out what had happened later.”
Days after the accident, Mr Loh and his mother are still grieving and struggling to accept the older Loh’s sudden passing. The family had planned a “simple celebration” on May 24 for his upcoming 69th birthday.
“My father worked very hard and lived a simple life. For his birthday, I wanted to bring him out for a meal and buy a cake for him, and let him have an enjoyable day,” Mr Loh said.
‘I didn’t take good care of him’: Victim’s son
The 30-year-old expressed guilt for not taking care of his father properly before his death. The younger Loh revealed that his father was previously the family’s breadwinner — he ran an agricultural products business in his early years, then transitioned to helping his uncle manage a restaurant, and subsequently became the manager of a grocery store.
After completing training and obtaining a security guard licence, Mr Loh began working as a primary school operations manager.
“He learnt things quickly and enjoyed interacting with others. Even as he approached retirement age, he continued to work.”
In Mr Loh’s eyes, his father was a responsible and trustworthy role model, and a key pillar of the family.
“I didn’t take good care of him. As his son, I failed my responsibilities. I feel extremely guilty.”
Son expresses regrets that father did not see his career take off
Mr Loh also expressed regret that his father would never get to see him succeed in his career. At 30, his career as a salesperson was beginning to flourish, and he was even in contention to become a “sales champion”. His greatest regret was that his father would not be there to witness him receive that recognition.
The younger Loh admitted that he was the apple of his father’s eye, but after his passing, he reflected on the past and realised that he had often fallen short of his responsibilities as a son. He lamented that, had he matured earlier, his father might have lived to witness the achievements he has attained today.
From now on, Mr Loh pledged to take care of his mother. “This is my promise to my father”.
Holland-Bukit Timah MP sends condolence wreath
On the same day, Shin Min observed a condolence wreath sent by Edward Chia, an MP of Holland-Bukit Timah GRC, who oversees the area where the accident happened.
Speaking to Shin Min, Mr Chia expressed his condolences and grief to the deceased’s family, and revealed that the relevant departments were processing an emergency relief grant for the family.
In a Facebook post on May 21, Mr Chia shared that he had visited Mr Loh’s wake, located at Block 482A Segar Road.
Possibility of LRT platform screen doors addressed last year
In a written reply to a parliamentary question in February 2025, then-Minister for Transport Chee Hong Tat explained the technical limitations to implementing screen doors on LRT platforms.
“Platform screen doors require power supply, communications, and signal control equipment. As LRT stations are smaller than MRT stations, it is not practical to install all the above equipment as it will reduce the available waiting area for commuters,” Mr Chee wrote.
To address safety concerns, fixed barriers and tactile warning studs at the edge of the platform have been installed. Detection systems which utilise artificial intelligence and video analytics can detect track intrusions and alert staff at the operations control centre, allowing them to respond to such incidents quickly.
See something interesting? Contribute your story to us.
