The following article was published in the Straits Times on 6 May 2007.
3rd worker dies from severe burns
By SELINA LUM
The Straits Times
06/05/2007
JURONG ISLAND FIRE
Bangladeshi was one of two injured at refinery blaze; two other workers died in the accident, both Singaporeans
A THIRD man has died from the early morning blaze at ExxonMobil's oil refinery on Jurong Island on Thursday.
Mr Prabir Braja, 30, who suffered 70 per cent burns to his body in the fire, died from his injuries at the burns unit of the Singapore General Hospital just before noon yesterday.
The Bangladeshi was one of two workers who were injured in the industrial fire at the Pulau Ayer Chawan refinery, one of the worst industrial accidents in the last two years.
Two others – Singaporeans Tan Kong Lam, 54, and Ng Swee Min, 48 – were burnt to death as they were removing metal plates from a pipe, in a process called de-binding, at about 1.15am.
The other injured worker, Mr Hannan Abdul Jalil, also a 30-year-old Bangladeshi, suffered 15 per cent burns to his leg and is recovering in hospital after a skin graft.
All four were employees of Mun Siong Engineering and had started work at 8pm on Wednesday night. They were to have finished work at 7am on Thursday.
Mr Tan and Mr Ng were on an elevated platform about 5m above the ground when flames shot up from the distillation unit, which processes crude to make petroleum products. Both men are believed to have died almost instantly.
Firemen took 30 minutes to bring the raging blaze under control.
Following the fire, ExxonMobil shut down one of the two crude distillation units at the refinery.
Mr Vincent Quek, managing director of Mun Siong, told The Sunday Times that Mr Prabir's family in Bangladesh has been informed of his death.
Mr Quek said it was "very difficult" for the dead man's family to come to Singapore.
"We are doing our best to help them, either by sending the body back as soon as possible or having him cremated and his ashes sent back," he said.
Sunday, May 6, 2007
Saturday, May 5, 2007
Jurong Island Fire - Victims Families Hoping for Answers
The following article was published in the Straits Times on 5 May 2007.
DOUBLE WAKES
By KHUSHWANT SINGH, CAROLYN QUEK, TRACY SUA
The Straits Times
05/05/2007
JURONG ISLAND FIRE
Families of 2 victims hoping for answers in meeting with firm
THE families of the two men who died in the ExxonMobil fire on Thursday are hoping they will find out how the accident happened when they meet the men's employers today.
They also intend to conduct prayers at the accident site.
Mr Tan Kong Lam, 54, and Mr Ng Swee Min, 48, were burnt to death at the Pulau Ayer Chawan refinery on Jurong Island as they were removing metal plates from a pipe in a process called de-blinding at about 1.15am.
The blaze also injured two pipe fitters, Mr Hannan Abdul Jalil and Mr Prabir Rajah, both 30-year-old Bangladeshis.
Mr Prabir suffered 70 per cent burns to his body and remains in a critical condition while Mr Hannan, who suffered 15 per cent burns to his leg is recovering after a skin graft yesterday. Both are warded in the burns unit of the Singapore General Hospital (SGH).
All are employees of Mun Siong Engineering and had started work at 8pm. Mr Tan and Mr Ng were on an elevated platform about 5m above the ground when flames shot up from the distillation plant, which refines crude oil into petroleum products. The men are believed to have died instantly.
Operations at the affected plant have been suspended. It was producing 115,000 barrels a day, one-fifth of ExxonMobil's daily output of 605,000 barrels.
ExxonMobil's communications manager Eva Ho said the unit will remain shut until it is safe to restart it.
ExxonMobil told The Straits Times that investigations are underway and that it did not want to speculate on what had occurred.
Mr Ng's body was burnt completely black. The family of Mr Tan said that although their father's face was not affected, much of his body had been charred.
Youngest son Derrick, 20, in his final year of an information technology diploma course at a polytechnic, said that his father was well aware of the perils of his job.
"He actually had a friend make preparations for his funeral about two or three years ago and also handed me namecards of people to call if something happened to him," Derrick said.
Mr Ng Hoot Yu, 80, is also trying to come to terms with his son's death. They shared a two-room rental flat in Henderson Road and the father had advised his son many times to change jobs as he felt working in a refinery was dangerous.
"I feel very heartbroken and lost. This son of mine used to give me about $50 a week. Now that he's gone, I don't know what to do," the elderly man said.
His son, a bachelor, was the third among five siblings.
Mr Ng Swee Min's oldest brother, a chef, said: "He was a simple guy. After work, he would just be at home, watching television or reading the newspapers.
"And sometimes he would play mahjong with friends."
ExxonMobil, the world's largest oil company, is presently drawing on its inventory but traders are expecting prices to rise if the plant's closure is prolonged as it would mean a 10 per cent shortfall in Singapore's total refining output.
In a separate incident, a worker was badly injured in a fire at the NSL OilChem Services in Tanjong Kling Road in Jurong, about six hours after the ExxonMobil blaze. The Indian national remains in a critical condition at SGH.
DOUBLE WAKES
By KHUSHWANT SINGH, CAROLYN QUEK, TRACY SUA
The Straits Times
05/05/2007
JURONG ISLAND FIRE
Families of 2 victims hoping for answers in meeting with firm
THE families of the two men who died in the ExxonMobil fire on Thursday are hoping they will find out how the accident happened when they meet the men's employers today.
They also intend to conduct prayers at the accident site.
Mr Tan Kong Lam, 54, and Mr Ng Swee Min, 48, were burnt to death at the Pulau Ayer Chawan refinery on Jurong Island as they were removing metal plates from a pipe in a process called de-blinding at about 1.15am.
The blaze also injured two pipe fitters, Mr Hannan Abdul Jalil and Mr Prabir Rajah, both 30-year-old Bangladeshis.
Mr Prabir suffered 70 per cent burns to his body and remains in a critical condition while Mr Hannan, who suffered 15 per cent burns to his leg is recovering after a skin graft yesterday. Both are warded in the burns unit of the Singapore General Hospital (SGH).
All are employees of Mun Siong Engineering and had started work at 8pm. Mr Tan and Mr Ng were on an elevated platform about 5m above the ground when flames shot up from the distillation plant, which refines crude oil into petroleum products. The men are believed to have died instantly.
Operations at the affected plant have been suspended. It was producing 115,000 barrels a day, one-fifth of ExxonMobil's daily output of 605,000 barrels.
ExxonMobil's communications manager Eva Ho said the unit will remain shut until it is safe to restart it.
ExxonMobil told The Straits Times that investigations are underway and that it did not want to speculate on what had occurred.
Mr Ng's body was burnt completely black. The family of Mr Tan said that although their father's face was not affected, much of his body had been charred.
Youngest son Derrick, 20, in his final year of an information technology diploma course at a polytechnic, said that his father was well aware of the perils of his job.
"He actually had a friend make preparations for his funeral about two or three years ago and also handed me namecards of people to call if something happened to him," Derrick said.
Mr Ng Hoot Yu, 80, is also trying to come to terms with his son's death. They shared a two-room rental flat in Henderson Road and the father had advised his son many times to change jobs as he felt working in a refinery was dangerous.
"I feel very heartbroken and lost. This son of mine used to give me about $50 a week. Now that he's gone, I don't know what to do," the elderly man said.
His son, a bachelor, was the third among five siblings.
Mr Ng Swee Min's oldest brother, a chef, said: "He was a simple guy. After work, he would just be at home, watching television or reading the newspapers.
"And sometimes he would play mahjong with friends."
ExxonMobil, the world's largest oil company, is presently drawing on its inventory but traders are expecting prices to rise if the plant's closure is prolonged as it would mean a 10 per cent shortfall in Singapore's total refining output.
In a separate incident, a worker was badly injured in a fire at the NSL OilChem Services in Tanjong Kling Road in Jurong, about six hours after the ExxonMobil blaze. The Indian national remains in a critical condition at SGH.
Friday, May 4, 2007
JURONG ISLAND FIRE: 2 DEAD 2 INJURED
The following article was published in The New Paper on 4 May 2007.
Why didn't you listen to me, my son?
By Andre Yeo
The New Paper
04/05/2007
JURONG ISLAND FIRE: 2 DEAD 2 INJURED
Dead man's dad wanted him to quit
PLEASE change your job, the 80-year-old man pleaded with his son.
But Mr Ng Hoot Yu's son would not listen.
If he had, Mr Ng Swee Min, 48, would be alive today.
He was one of two men killed in a fire at ExxonMobil's refinery at Pulau Ayer Chawan on Jurong Island yesterday morning. Two others, both foreign workers, were injured.
The four men worked for Mun Siong Engineering Pte Ltd, which was contracted by ExxonMobil to carry out maintenance work on Jurong Island.
The father said he knew his son's job involved risks and had told him several times to consider a career switch. But his advice went unheeded.
Speaking in Mandarin, he said: "I told him to be a taxi driver or a bus driver because it's safer. But he wouldn't listen. He said he could earn more as a contractor."
His son earned about $1,500 a month, said Mr Ng.
Swee Min had been working for more than 10 years as a contractor on Jurong Island, said his family members.
CALL
The bachelor lived with his dad in a one-room rental flat in Henderson Road. The accident happened at about 1.15am and the father got the call after 5am yesterday.
He said: "His colleague called and said my son had burned to death. I just cried and could not sleep after that."
Swee Min was a quiet man who loved to watch the English Premier League, his brother Swee Ngian, 52, said.
Mr Ng said his son was the third of his four children and would give him $50 every week. The other children live elsewhere. Their mother died many years ago.
Swee Min loved to bet on football and horses. The father said he had told him repeatedly to stop but he wouldn't.
Mr Ng said: "He did not marry because he enjoyed his freedom."
He said his son slept in the living room as it was near the TV and he could watch football any time he wanted to.
Mr Ng slept in the only bedroom. It was cluttered with clothes and furniture when The New Paper visited the flat yesterday.
GIVING HIS CLOTHES AWAY
He said he does not know whether to continue living in the flat.
Swee Min's sister, who declined to be named, said once they found out he had died, they packed all his clothes into plastic bags.
She said: "We're going to give them away. There's no point keeping them now."
Swee Ngian, also a contractor on Jurong Island, said there were risks involved in their jobs.
He said: "It has its dangers as there's oil involved. All it takes is a spark and there will be a huge blaze."
A Ministry of Manpower spokesman said the workers were carrying out de-blinding work when the accident happened.
Mun Siong's managing director, Mr Vincent Quek, 41, told The New Paper last night that he had known the deceased for many years. He considered Swee Min a close friend.
He said: "They were certified workers and I had worked with Ng before. I have lost a good friend. I'm still trying to deal with it."
Besides Swee Min, Mr Tan Kong Lam, 56, was also killed.
Mr Tan lived in Boon Lay with his wife and two sons, aged 20 and 27. One of his sons said his father received a call from his boss on Wednesday evening at home, asking whether he could report for work that night. He immediately agreed.
His wife Madam Lu Qi Ping, a factory cafeteria assistant, described her husband as an easy-going and sociable person.
She broke down when his colleague handed over his haversack. His funeral will be held on Monday.
The bodies will be released to their families today.
A Singapore General Hospital spokesman said one of the foreign workers, a Bangladeshi, suffered 70 per cent burns and is in a critical condition. He is warded at the intensive care unit.
The Indian worker who suffered 15 per cent burns is in a high dependency ward.
The Singapore Civil Defence Force is investigating the cause of the fire.
Why didn't you listen to me, my son?
By Andre Yeo
The New Paper
04/05/2007
JURONG ISLAND FIRE: 2 DEAD 2 INJURED
Dead man's dad wanted him to quit
PLEASE change your job, the 80-year-old man pleaded with his son.
But Mr Ng Hoot Yu's son would not listen.
If he had, Mr Ng Swee Min, 48, would be alive today.
He was one of two men killed in a fire at ExxonMobil's refinery at Pulau Ayer Chawan on Jurong Island yesterday morning. Two others, both foreign workers, were injured.
The four men worked for Mun Siong Engineering Pte Ltd, which was contracted by ExxonMobil to carry out maintenance work on Jurong Island.
The father said he knew his son's job involved risks and had told him several times to consider a career switch. But his advice went unheeded.
Speaking in Mandarin, he said: "I told him to be a taxi driver or a bus driver because it's safer. But he wouldn't listen. He said he could earn more as a contractor."
His son earned about $1,500 a month, said Mr Ng.
Swee Min had been working for more than 10 years as a contractor on Jurong Island, said his family members.
CALL
The bachelor lived with his dad in a one-room rental flat in Henderson Road. The accident happened at about 1.15am and the father got the call after 5am yesterday.
He said: "His colleague called and said my son had burned to death. I just cried and could not sleep after that."
Swee Min was a quiet man who loved to watch the English Premier League, his brother Swee Ngian, 52, said.
Mr Ng said his son was the third of his four children and would give him $50 every week. The other children live elsewhere. Their mother died many years ago.
Swee Min loved to bet on football and horses. The father said he had told him repeatedly to stop but he wouldn't.
Mr Ng said: "He did not marry because he enjoyed his freedom."
He said his son slept in the living room as it was near the TV and he could watch football any time he wanted to.
Mr Ng slept in the only bedroom. It was cluttered with clothes and furniture when The New Paper visited the flat yesterday.
GIVING HIS CLOTHES AWAY
He said he does not know whether to continue living in the flat.
Swee Min's sister, who declined to be named, said once they found out he had died, they packed all his clothes into plastic bags.
She said: "We're going to give them away. There's no point keeping them now."
Swee Ngian, also a contractor on Jurong Island, said there were risks involved in their jobs.
He said: "It has its dangers as there's oil involved. All it takes is a spark and there will be a huge blaze."
A Ministry of Manpower spokesman said the workers were carrying out de-blinding work when the accident happened.
Mun Siong's managing director, Mr Vincent Quek, 41, told The New Paper last night that he had known the deceased for many years. He considered Swee Min a close friend.
He said: "They were certified workers and I had worked with Ng before. I have lost a good friend. I'm still trying to deal with it."
Besides Swee Min, Mr Tan Kong Lam, 56, was also killed.
Mr Tan lived in Boon Lay with his wife and two sons, aged 20 and 27. One of his sons said his father received a call from his boss on Wednesday evening at home, asking whether he could report for work that night. He immediately agreed.
His wife Madam Lu Qi Ping, a factory cafeteria assistant, described her husband as an easy-going and sociable person.
She broke down when his colleague handed over his haversack. His funeral will be held on Monday.
The bodies will be released to their families today.
A Singapore General Hospital spokesman said one of the foreign workers, a Bangladeshi, suffered 70 per cent burns and is in a critical condition. He is warded at the intensive care unit.
The Indian worker who suffered 15 per cent burns is in a high dependency ward.
The Singapore Civil Defence Force is investigating the cause of the fire.
Two killed, two hurt in Jurong Island blaze
The following article was published in the Straits Times on 4 May 2007.
Two killed, two hurt in Jurong Island blaze
By TANYA FONG & SUJIN THOMAS
The Straits Times
04/05/2007
EARLY MORNING TRAGEDY
TWO MEN died and three others were injured in two separate industrial fires yesterday morning.
The first blaze, at 1.15am at the ExxonMobil Singapore oil refinery on Jurong Island, claimed two lives. Two others were injured: One is in critical condition, with 70 per cent burns to his body.
The two workers killed were Singaporeans Tan Kong Lam, 54, and Ng Swee Min, 48, both pipe-fitters. They were carrying out maintenance work on a crude distillation unit at the time of the tragedy.
The Manpower Ministry has issued a partial stop-work order at the site.
The second fire, hours later, occurred at a Jurong oil and chemical plant and resulted in one man suffering 70 per cent burns.
In the Jurong Island fire, Mr Tan and Mr Ng were on an elevated platform about 5m above ground when flames shot up from the distillation unit, which refines crude into petroleum products. The men are believed to have died instantly.
Firemen took 30 minutes to bring the raging blaze under control, said a Singapore Civil Defence Force spokesman.
Two Bangladeshi co-workers who were nearby, Mr Hannan Abdul Jalil and Mr Prabir Rajah, both 30, suffered burns and are being treated at the Burns Unit of the Singapore General Hospital.
Mr Prabir suffered 70 per cent burns to his body and is in critical condition. Mr Hannan suffered 15 per cent burns to his leg.
The four men, all employees of Mun Siong Engineering, began their shift at 8pm on Wednesday night and were to have finished work at 7am yesterday.
Mr Ng's father, Mr Ng Hoot Yu, 80, told The Straits Times he heard the tragic news at 4am yesterday.
"My son's supervisor called and said my son was on a platform when the fire suddenly erupted. The flames leapt up and engulfed him, killing him instantly.
"The caller said it was because there was an oil leak at the bottom of the unit," he said in Mandarin.
ExxonMobil's communications manager, Miss Eva Ho, said investigations are underway.
Yesterday, ExxonMobil Singapore's refinery manager Mr Steve Blume apologised for the accident.
The company said the Jurong Island refinery had clocked three million hours of work without a loss in work-time due to accidents in the first four months of this year.
In the second fire, which took place six hours later, a waste oil tank at NSL OilChem Services in Tanjong Kling Road caught fire at 7.05am.
Firemen put out the fire within 20 minutes. The injured man, an Indian national in his 20s, is in intensive care at SGH.
The SCDF is investigating the two fires.
Two killed, two hurt in Jurong Island blaze
By TANYA FONG & SUJIN THOMAS
The Straits Times
04/05/2007
EARLY MORNING TRAGEDY
TWO MEN died and three others were injured in two separate industrial fires yesterday morning.
The first blaze, at 1.15am at the ExxonMobil Singapore oil refinery on Jurong Island, claimed two lives. Two others were injured: One is in critical condition, with 70 per cent burns to his body.
The two workers killed were Singaporeans Tan Kong Lam, 54, and Ng Swee Min, 48, both pipe-fitters. They were carrying out maintenance work on a crude distillation unit at the time of the tragedy.
The Manpower Ministry has issued a partial stop-work order at the site.
The second fire, hours later, occurred at a Jurong oil and chemical plant and resulted in one man suffering 70 per cent burns.
In the Jurong Island fire, Mr Tan and Mr Ng were on an elevated platform about 5m above ground when flames shot up from the distillation unit, which refines crude into petroleum products. The men are believed to have died instantly.
Firemen took 30 minutes to bring the raging blaze under control, said a Singapore Civil Defence Force spokesman.
Two Bangladeshi co-workers who were nearby, Mr Hannan Abdul Jalil and Mr Prabir Rajah, both 30, suffered burns and are being treated at the Burns Unit of the Singapore General Hospital.
Mr Prabir suffered 70 per cent burns to his body and is in critical condition. Mr Hannan suffered 15 per cent burns to his leg.
The four men, all employees of Mun Siong Engineering, began their shift at 8pm on Wednesday night and were to have finished work at 7am yesterday.
Mr Ng's father, Mr Ng Hoot Yu, 80, told The Straits Times he heard the tragic news at 4am yesterday.
"My son's supervisor called and said my son was on a platform when the fire suddenly erupted. The flames leapt up and engulfed him, killing him instantly.
"The caller said it was because there was an oil leak at the bottom of the unit," he said in Mandarin.
ExxonMobil's communications manager, Miss Eva Ho, said investigations are underway.
Yesterday, ExxonMobil Singapore's refinery manager Mr Steve Blume apologised for the accident.
The company said the Jurong Island refinery had clocked three million hours of work without a loss in work-time due to accidents in the first four months of this year.
In the second fire, which took place six hours later, a waste oil tank at NSL OilChem Services in Tanjong Kling Road caught fire at 7.05am.
Firemen put out the fire within 20 minutes. The injured man, an Indian national in his 20s, is in intensive care at SGH.
The SCDF is investigating the two fires.
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