Wind topples LED wreath in Ang Mo Kio which hits woman, 44, cracks her front teeth, leaves her with bruises

A 44-year-old woman was walking home in Ang Mo Kio when a strong gust of wind toppled an LED wreath, which struck her.

The accident resulted in cracks to her two front teeth, bruises on her face and shoulder and weeks of unbearable pain.

She was later told that the accident might have been "god's will" as she sought accountability from the parties involved.

Unbearable pain

CNA reported that the accident took place on Oct. 2, as Khoo was making her way home with her lunch.

As she walking on the pavement, she was struck by an LED wreath which toppled over from the wind, and she was pinned under it.

The accident left her with cracks in her front teeth, which required multiple visits to the dentist. Fragments of her teeth also fell out.

She was put on painkillers for two weeks, which affected mobility in her hand.

Even with a tooth implant, Khoo shared that she was unable to eat normally without pain.

In total, the bill for her teeth could amount to up to S$4,000.

'Act of God'

However, what was most upsetting to her was the finger-pointing that ensued after the accident.

The deceased's family said that the LED wreath was courtesy of a friend, while staff from the funeral parlour said they were not the ones who emplaced the wreaths.

Some wake-goers even downplayed the accident, saying that it was an "act of God".

Khoo questioned what would happen if the wreath had fallen onto an elderly person or young child.

According to CNA, the Ang Mo Kio Town Council said that the LED wreaths were shifted away by the deceased's family after the accident.

Town council staff responded to the incident, and the vendor of the LED wreaths also checked the stability of the wreaths and whether they were properly secured.

The town council added that its role is to provide a brief overview on funeral arrangement requirements and guidelines, including how LED wreaths should be set up at wakes.

They pointed to the guidelines on the usage of light emitting wreaths and inflatables at funeral wakes, jointly released by the National Environment Agency and the Association of Funeral Directors in 2022.

Maximum of 10 wreaths

The Association of Funeral Directors Singapore told CNA that it is the responsibility of the bereaved family and wreath suppliers to ensure that the set-up is safe.

However, some operators shared that the decision to keep wreaths from well-wishers lies with the family, and they are not always present at the wake to track how many wreaths there are.

Meanwhile, another funeral parlour operator even called for the banning of LED wreaths.

According to NEA's guidelines, a maximum of 10 wreaths can be placed at each wake.

The wreaths should be no more than 4m in length by 1m in breadth and 3.2m in height, so as not to obstruct the view of residents and motorists, and they should be confined to the wake area, such as void decks and pavilions.

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Top image via CNA