Elderly man rescued after spending 18 hours trapped in bathroom in Aljunied Crescent
An elderly man in Aljunied was trapped in his bathroom overnight after a fall left him wedged between two water pipes. He was rescued 18 hours later when a friend with a spare key checked on him.
- An 87-year-old man was trapped for 18 hours after falling in his bathroom and getting his head stuck between water pipes.
- A friend with a spare key discovered him when calls went unanswered and managed to free him before calling for help.
- The man was taken to hospital and is now in stable condition.
SINGAPORE: An 87-year-old Singaporean man, Mr Ng, who lives alone and uses a wheelchair for mobility, spent 18 hours trapped in his bathroom after a fall left his head lodged tightly between two water pipes.
According to local media report, the incident happened at about 10pm last Thursday (27 November) at his flat in Block 96, Aljunied Crescent.
Although Mr Ng is generally able to manage his daily needs, he was unable to push himself up or remove his head from the narrow gap due to fatigue and restricted movement.
With no one else at home, he remained stuck on the bathroom floor overnight.
By the following afternoon, at around 3.30pm, Mr Lee — a long-time friend and former neighbour who checks in on Mr Ng several times a week — became worried after repeated phone calls went unanswered. Holding a spare key to the flat, he rushed over.
Mr Lee found the flat empty before spotting Mr Ng collapsed in the bathroom, semi-conscious with blood flowing from his right ear and his eyes unable to open.
According to the account later shared with the Cheng Hong Welfare Service Society (众弘福利协会), Mr Lee spoke to him calmly, placed a towel under his cheeks for support, and slowly manoeuvred his head free from the pipes.
He immediately called for an ambulance.
Photos taken after the rescue showed bloodstains on the tiles and pipes.
The Singapore Civil Defence Force confirmed receiving an alert at 3.50pm, and Mr Ng was conveyed to Changi General Hospital, where he has since been reported to be out of danger.
Rising number of seniors living alone as Singapore nears super-aged status
Singapore is expected to become a super-aged society in 2026, with more than one in five residents aged 65 or older.
The number of seniors living alone has more than doubled over the past decade, outpacing overall demographic growth.
According to a report by the Ministry of Social and Family Development issued in July 2025, seniors living alone increased from 42,100 in 2014 to 87,200 in 2024.
Welfare group urges stronger support networks for isolated elderly residents
Speaking to Lianhe Zaobao, Lim Seng Lye, Secretary of the Cheng Hong Welfare Service Society, said the number of isolated elderly residents is rising, and he fears similar incidents could become increasingly common.
He added that seniors living alone should consider allowing trusted neighbours or friends to hold spare keys for emergencies.
Lim said he has known Ng for more than ten years and described him as strong-willed and unafraid of death, though concerned that no one would handle his final arrangements.
He added that Ng had approached the association in 2014, when its after-life services division was established, to request assistance for his eventual post-death arrangements.
Two weeks before the incident, Ng had again expressed a wish for his ashes to be scattered after his passing.
Lim also noted that the association deploys several hundred volunteers monthly to deliver meals and check on about 3,800 senior members aged 65 and above.
Most have no immediate family and live alone, and the association provides free funeral arrangements when no next-of-kin can be located.
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