The Indian national killed in a Monday construction incident had half his head crushed in and had just found out he was going to be a dad, according to a nonprofit that does outreach in the migrant worker community.
The group, ItsRainingRaincoats, managed to identify the victim as 28-year-old Velmurugan, who died Monday after the boom of a tower crane collapsed and fell roughly 10 stories just days after learning his wife was expecting their first child.
Velmurugan was reportedly trapped high on the crane after it collapsed, and witnesses said he was trying to climb down when falling scaffolding struck him. Another foreign worker, from Bangladesh, injured his leg and was taken to the Tan Tock Seng Hospital.
Velmurugan’s body was flown back to India last night, accompanied by his cousin, who also works in Singapore.
“A small group of our volunteers went to view the body this afternoon and are still in a state of shock and distress,” read a Wednesday post on Itsrainingraincoats. “The lower half of his face was clearly completely crushed and probably his chest as well. The pain must have been unbearable and we can only hope he didn’t suffer much.”
Velmurugam had been married just over a year and recently visited his family in India. He came back to Singapore about two months ago to resume work, the post said.
“On the morning of the crane crash, he had posted on Facebook at 6:08am. Probably on his way to work. Not realizing that in a matter of hours he would be crushed to death,” the post added.
Itsrainingraincoats said it was another migrant worker – not the cousin – who identify Velmurugam.
The group has organized a donation drive to raise funds to support Velmurugam’s family.
Related:
Crane collapse kills worker, injures another at Tan Tock Seng Hospital
Foreign worker falls to death from 10th floor of Tampines construction site
Construction site accident at Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine leaves 1 dead
Reader Interactions