A clothes-drying rack fell from a highrise balcony onto a motorcycle driver and his passenger in soi Sukhumvit 24, causing the driver to swerve into a nearby car stopped in the traffic.
Facebook user Suthipongse Heart Thatphithakkul posted a video of the incident on his personal social media account on Sunday, captioning it: ‘Luck in misfortune. The owner of the clip, Thunvarat Patchwvy, told me that the owner of the drying rack came forward later to accept responsibility and compensate for damages.’
In the video, a motorcycle taxi driver with an elderly passenger can be seen travelling normally along the busy street. A drying rack filled with washing is seen falling from a condominium above. The rack lands directly on the unsuspecting motorcyclists, causing the driver to lose control and swerve into a nearby car that was caught in traffic.
While the accident did not result in death or serious injury, it has raised questions about the often-overlooked safety risk posed by objects falling from highrises in densely populated areas. (continues below)
Under Heart’s post, social commentators began weighing in with their opinions. Many said it should not take an accident involving a motorcycle, an elderly passenger and a falling clothes rack to remind us to be cautious when living among tall buildings.
In Singapore, where highrise living is the norm, building and public safety regulations place strict restrictions on objects that could fall from balconies or windows and endanger people below.
Under Singapore’s Housing and Development Act 1959, authorities can order residents to remove objects placed by windows, on balconies or outside their homes if they could cause property damage or injury. Failure to comply can result in a fine of up to S$2,000 (about 51,500 baht), with an additional S$100 for each day the offence continues.