Boy, 6, fractures nose after fall at Jewel's Canopy Park, parents asks for more safety measures

*UPDATE on Jan. 6, 7:30pm: The article has been updated with BCA's statement.

*UPDATE on Jan. 5, 6:30pm: The article has been updated with Jewel's statement.

A 6-year-old boy was seriously injured after a fall at Jewel's Walking Net attraction on Dec. 10, 2025.

Tripped on the net and fell

Speaking to Mothership, the boy's father, who wanted to be known only as Richard, said his younger son was playing at the attraction when he tripped over the net and fell, striking his face on a wooden platform.

Richard was at work at the time and was informed of the incident by his wife.

They said that there were no other children nearby when the accident occurred, and the attraction was not crowded.

Richard's wife said that their younger son began crying immediately after the fall and was bleeding profusely.

Fortunately, the ground staff at Jewel quickly provided first aid to stop the bleeding, and also took down the family's contact details.

One staff member later accompanied them to the taxi stand and arranged a Grab ride for them.

Had to undergo facial reconstruction surgery

Richard said that his wife initially brought their younger son to Changi General Hospital (CGH) as it was the nearest to them.

However, due to the long wait and the severity of the open wound, CGH was unable to admit him and advised that they proceed to KK Women's and Children's Hospital immediately instead.

Richard said that when he finally arrived at the hospital, his son was semi-conscious and appeared exhausted.

He also noticed blood on his wife's clothing.

Doctors later determined that the fall had caused a severe nasal bone fracture.

According to Richard, his son had to undergo complex facial surgery the next day:

"Surgeons were required to close three layers of tissue, leaving him with dozens of stitches."

The wound measured about 3cm in length and 1cm in width.

The doctors later informed the family that their son would be left with a permanent facial scar.

While laser treatment may be considered when he is older, they said it would not fully restore his appearance prior to the injury.

Richard also expressed concern about the physical and emotional trauma his son experienced, adding that the injury could have been prevented if the exposed wooden platform had been padded or covered.

"No immediate safety action was taken after the incident"

According to Richard, no immediate safety measures were taken following the incident.

He shared that a Jewel customer service representative had contacted his wife the next day to check on their son's condition.

Richard later requested an official response and clarification on safety measures, and was told the matter would be escalated to higher management.

On Dec. 17, 2025, Jewel informed the family via email that this was the first time such an incident had occurred and that its insurer would contact them within 10 working days.

However, a subsequent call on Dec. 29, 2025 stated that the insurer’s response could take up to a month.

During the call, Richard asked whether they had taken action to cover the exposed wooden platform.

He was allegedly told that no action had been taken as approval from the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) was required.

"We were informed that the hazard remains unaddressed pending approvals, and that this was allegedly the “first time” such an incident occurred."

Jewel and BCA's responses

In response to Mothership's queries, a Jewel Changi Airport Development spokesperson said staff had immediately rendered first aid after the accident, adding that while further medical assistance within the airport was offered, this was not opted for by the child's parent.

The spokesperson said: "We remain concerned for the injured child and have been in touch with his family on this incident."

The spokesperson also reminded visitors to adhere to the safety guidelines while on the attraction.

"As a thrill attraction involving balancing and walking across a suspended taut web with curvatures of varying angles, the Walking Net’s safety guidelines stipulate no running on the attraction."

According to the spokesperson, visitors are also required to undergo a safety briefing prior to entering the Walking Net, which includes instructions on appropriate behaviour, including no running or rowdy play.

Children are also required to be accompanied by adults and supervised at all times.

There are also Rangers stationed on the attraction to assist guests and provide safety reminders where necessary.

In this instance, Rangers had issued several reminders to the child’s group not to run while on the Walking Net, before the unfortunate incident occurred, said the spokesperson.

The spokesperson also affirmed that they are committed to maintaining the highest safety standards for all their attractions, adding that the attractions are designed and maintained to meet stringent safety standards.

"As a BCA-regulated attraction, the Walking Net undergoes annual inspections and regulatory safety checks. Following the incident, BCA had conducted an additional investigation of the Walking Net and re-verified that it complies with regulatory requirements."

No further details on past safety incidents at the Walking Net attraction were provided.

A BCA spokesperson further added that the attraction is classified as a play net" and is regulated under the Amusement Rides Safety Act 2011 (ARSA).

This requires operators to operate in accordance with the procedures specified by the designer or manufacturer, said the spokesperson.

An investigation conducted after the incident verified that the attraction complies with the regulatory requirements under ARSA.

According to the spokesperson, the boy was running on the net when he lost his balance and hit the wooden plank walkway.

"BCA encourages all visitors to adhere to posted safety instructions and guidelines as well as supervise children for a safe and enjoyable experience."

Top photos courtesy of Richard