Son questions platform safety gaps after father dies in Segar LRT track incident

SINGAPORE: The son of a 68-year-old man who died after falling onto the Bukit Panjang LRT (BPLRT) track at Segar station has raised questions over platform safety measures, emergency systems and the timeline of official responses following the incident.

The fatal incident occurred on 18 May 2026 during the early morning service hours.

According to local Mandarin newspaper Shin Min Daily News, the deceased was identified as Lu Xi Xing (transliterated from Chinese characters 卢喜星), a school operations manager at a primary school in Sengkang.

Police said they received a call for assistance at about 5.50am on 18 May.

Investigations showed the man was seen falling onto the track in front of an oncoming train at about 5am.

The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said it was alerted to the incident at about 6.25am.

The man was pronounced dead at the scene by an SCDF paramedic.

“Preliminary investigations revealed that at about 5am, a man was seen to have fallen onto the track in front of an oncoming train,” police said, adding that they do not suspect foul play and investigations are ongoing.

Questions over safety measures

Speaking to Shin Min, Lu’s 30-year-old son said his father had been on his way to work when the incident happened.

“He was usually the first person to arrive at school and had to leave home very early,” he said.

The son, who works in sales, said his father suffered from low blood sugar and had experienced episodes of dizziness previously.

“I had heard from his friends before that he sometimes felt dizzy and unwell during episodes. I suspect this may have caused him to accidentally fall onto the track,” he said.

The son declined to reveal his full name and did not appear on camera during the interview.

He said representatives from train operator SMRT had visited the family after the incident, although discussions had been limited as the family focused on funeral arrangements.

“No matter what happens now, it will not bring my father back. But I hope the authorities can review the existing safety measures,” he said.

The son raised four questions regarding the incident.

First, he questioned whether the gaps between platform screen barriers at LRT stations were too wide and whether they increased the risk of accidental falls onto the tracks.

Second, he asked whether LRT trains were equipped with detection systems capable of sensing people or objects on the tracks and automatically triggering emergency braking.

Third, he questioned whether emergency stop buttons at stations would immediately halt incoming trains if activated.

Fourth, he asked what transpired during the period between the estimated time of the fall at around 5am and the later notifications to police and SCDF.

Remembered as family pillar

The son described his father as the family’s pillar of support and a responsible man who remained hardworking even close to retirement age.

According to the report, the deceased had previously operated a fresh produce business, helped manage a restaurant and later worked as a grocery store manager.

After completing training and obtaining a security licence, he entered the school sector as an operations staff member.

“He learned things very quickly and enjoyed interacting with people. Even when he was nearing retirement age, he still chose to continue working,” the son said.

He described his father as dependable and trustworthy.

In an emotional interview, the son said he regretted not spending more time caring for his father.

“I did not take good care of him. As a son, I feel I did not fulfil my responsibilities,” he said.

He added that his own career in sales had recently begun improving and he had been performing strongly enough to potentially become a top salesperson.

However, he said his father would never get to witness that achievement.

“I always wanted him to be proud of me,” he said.

The son said he had reflected deeply following his father’s death and felt he could have matured earlier in life.

“If I had grown up sooner, perhaps he could have seen my achievements today,” he said.

Looking ahead, he said he would now take responsibility for caring for his mother.

“This is my promise to my father,” he said.

Family members mourn loss

The victim’s brother-in-law, identified as Liang, 73, said the deceased and his wife had been married for more than 30 years and shared a close family life.

He described the incident as heartbreaking and expressed hope that similar tragedies could be prevented in future.

The deceased is scheduled to be cremated at Mandai Crematorium on the morning of 22 May.

Service disruption lasted four hours

The incident caused a disruption to train services on the Bukit Panjang LRT line for about four hours.

SMRT first announced the disruption in a Facebook post at 6.52am, saying services were affected “due to a track intrusion”.

In an update posted at 7.08am, the operator said a man had been seen trespassing onto the track near Segar station at about 5am.

The statement was later updated to say the man “was seen to have fallen onto the track”.

“Train services between the Petir and Senja stations, in both directions, were temporarily suspended to allow the police safe access to the tracks for investigations,” SMRT said.

At 10.17am, SMRT announced that services between Senja and Petir stations had resumed in both directions.

SMRT Trains president Lam Sheau Kai said the operator’s Care Team had contacted the victim’s family.

“Our Care Team has reached out to the family during this difficult time. We thank commuters for their patience and understanding,” Lam said.

He added that SMRT would continue assisting police with investigations.