Man whose hand was stuck in toilet drainage trap will foot bill for repairs

SINGAPORE — The man whose arm was stuck in his toilet drainage trap on Sunday will be footing the bill for repairs a hole in his neighbor’s ceiling.

Repairs on the hole, which was created while the man was freeing his arm from the trap, will be done on Wednesday, said his wife, who declined to be named. She added that the cost has not been worked out yet.

Kalpesh Panchal, 34, an engineer who lives in the unit directly below

Singapore Civil Defence Force personnel wheeling the man out of his Jurong West Street flat after his right hand was stuck in the drainage trap of his master bedroom toilet. Photo by Lianhe Haobao/Straits Times/Asia News Network

the man, said the issue was settled amicably.

The incident took place in a Housing Board flat along Jurong West Street 52 on Sunday afternoon. Poh Chee Keat’s right hand had been stuck in the drainage trap when he tried to retrieve a ring that fell while he was showering.

Singapore Civil Defence Force officers arrived at 6 p.m. and took four hours to release his hand. To do so, they had to cut the ceiling of the unit directly below it.

The victim, a businessman in his 50s, had his right arm in a cast on Monday night. His wife said he is recovering well.

“Our neighbor has been very understanding throughout the episode and we are thankful,” she added.

Kalpesh said he is just glad that his neighbor is well and hopes the issue will be settled quickly.

“I have been using another toilet for now but otherwise it is not that much of an inconvenience,” he said. KS