On May 13, SCDF full-time national serviceman (NSF) Corporal Kok Yuen Chin died following an incident at Tuas View Fire Station.

A Board of Inquiry was convened by Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam to look into the matter.

On Sept. 13, the Ministry of Home Affairs released the Board's findings to the media.

Celebration to mark ORD

Kok was part of Rota 3 at Tuas View Fire Station, which comprised a team of fire and rescue specialists and paramedics.

Following their duty tour on May 13, Kok's fellow personnel in Rota 3 held a celebration for him ahead of his ORD on May 16.

After being presented with cake and a plaque, Kok was carried by other members of Rota 3 to the pump well, where he sat on the edge.

At 9:07 pm, one officer went behind him and pushed him into the well.

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In the well for 36 minutes

This was an activity known as kolam (Malay for pool of water), conducted to mark the occasion when a serviceman leaves or joins the fire station.

Kok did not resurface after being pushed into the well.

After eight seconds, a serviceman jumped in to try and rescue Kok, but could not locate him. Other servicemen jumped in afterwards, but also did not succeed.

Other servicemen then used a fire engine suction pump to drain water from the well, while the servicemen already inside used breathing apparatus to go deeper.

One of them eventually found Kok, and they used ropes to pull him up.

Kok was extracted from the pump well at 9:43 pm, 36 minutes after he had gone in.

Cause of death: Drowning

Paramedics performed CPR on Kok, but they could not resuscitate him.

Kok was then brought to Ng Teng Fong General Hospital, reaching at 10:13 pm.

At 11:02 pm, he was pronounced dead. An autopsy found his cause of death to be drowning.

Board's report

The Board of Inquiry have made the following recommendations following their investigation:

Building an anti-ragging culture

• Having hands-on, instructional methods to help servicemen identify and stop ragging.
• Equip servicemen with a standard set of responses to say "No" to ragging.
• Enhance the SCDF's disciplinary and whistleblowing policies to assure victims and observers that their interests will be protected.
• Expand the channels through which servicemen can report ragging incidents.
• Train SCDF Commanders to pre-empt ragging incidents amongst officers under their charge.
• Encourage senior servicemen who are not officers to enforce an anti-ragging culture.
• Review how the SCDF recognises positive behaviour from officers who show care towards their colleagues.

Decommission fire station pump wells

• Pump well testing and training could be centralised at the Civil Defence Academy (CDA), without compromising operational effectiveness.
• Fire station pump wells should be decommissioned to avoid unauthorised access.
• The SCDF should take measures to restrict access and ensure safe usage of the CDA pump wells.

Security recommendations

• Enhance CCTV coverage in "vulnerable areas".
• Strengthen training on risk management and workplace safety.

Board's recommendations accepted

Minister Shanmugam has accepted the Board's recommendations in full. He said:

"I thank the Board for their efforts over the past few months. The recommendations will help the SCDF eradicate unauthorised activities, such as ragging. The conduct of the officers involved was unacceptable.

Those who were assessed to be criminally culpable have been charged and will answer for their actions in Court. The others will be investigated for departmental disciplinary actions.

We will do whatever we can to ensure that no more officers come to harm because of such activities. CPL Kok’s death was a most tragic loss, both for his family and SCDF.

Our thoughts continue to be with his family, and we will support and assist them in any way we can."

The SCDF have studied these recommendations and will be implementing the necessary follow-up actions.

Five officers charged in court

As Minister Shanmugam mentioned, the Board of Inquiry is separate from investigations carried out by the Singapore Police Force.

Five SCDF officers have been charged in court for offences related to the incident.

The SCDF may also undertake its own disciplinary proceedings against the servicemen involved.

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Top image from SCDF's Facebook page.