Seven migrant workers who pulled a woman from a sinkhole in Tanjong Katong Road South were formally honoured at the Istana by President Tharman Shanmugaratnam on 3 August 2025.
The workers, all employees of Ohin Construction, were part of a rescue that took place on 26 July when a black car fell into a sinkhole at around 5pm. The incident occurred at the junction of Tanjong Katong Road South and Mountbatten Road, near One Amber condominium.
Construction site foreman Pitchai Udaiyappan Subbiah, 46, told reporters the experience was deeply meaningful.
Speaking in Tamil, he said, “Because of us, a family is safe and happy, (which) makes us very glad. The recognition we have received is more than enough.”
Mr Subbiah and his team used a nylon rope to pull the woman from the car.
The swift action by the workers ensured she suffered no serious injuries and was brought to safety quickly.
The other six involved were excavator operator Sathapillai Rajendran, 56; Mr Anbazhagan Velmurugan and Mr Bose Ajithkumar, both 26; Mr Poomalai Saravanan, 28; Mr Ganesan Veerasekar, 32; and Mr Arumugam Chandirasekaran, 47.
All were invited to the Istana’s National Day open house, held in celebration of Singapore’s 60th year of independence.
President Tharman and his wife, Mrs Jane Ittogi Shanmugaratnam, personally thanked the men outside the president’s office.
“You saved her life, thank you,” Mr Tharman was overheard saying during the encounter.
Also recognised were 11 men who rescued children trapped on a third-storey ledge during a fire at a River Valley shophouse in April.
They had used scaffolding from a nearby construction site to reach the children.
The workers received presidential mementos—pens engraved with the presidential crest—which are traditionally given to guests of honour visiting the Istana.
Mr Subbiah, who has worked in Singapore for 22 years, expressed gratitude for being able to finally visit the Istana, which he had only seen from the outside until now.
He said he had previously met Mr Tharman at a 2005 community event in Teban Gardens.
Excavator operator Mr Rajendran told the media he was simply relieved the woman was unharmed.
“I’m just very happy she is okay,” he said, adding that he hoped more people would be inspired to help others.
The workers were among around 12,000 people who visited the Istana on 3 August.
Despite intermittent rain, visitors explored the historic grounds, participated in inclusive sports such as seated volleyball, and took part in arts and crafts and face painting.
Following the sinkhole incident, migrant worker support group ItsRainingRaincoats launched a public fund-raiser to support the seven rescuers. The campaign received over S$72,000 in donations.
The organisation said it would disburse the funds equally among the workers and plans to host a small event at its Henderson Road premises on 10 August to honour them.
Each worker is expected to receive a significant sum directly into their bank accounts.
ItsRainingRaincoats had previously facilitated a similar campaign for the River Valley rescuers, distributing S$3,770 to each of the 15 men involved, from the S$57,660 raised.
The sinkhole appeared near a Public Utilities Board (PUB) worksite involved in constructing a 16-metre-deep shaft, prompted concern over road safety and infrastructure maintenance.
Earlier, Singapore Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu offered a public apology for what she described as a “serious incident” that “should not have happened”, assuring that MSE will convene an internal panel to investigate the incident.
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