Mrs A Khoo, a 44-year-old part-time sales administrator, was walking home with lunch for her eldest son on October 2, Children’s Day, when several LED wreaths fell on her along a pedestrian walkway in Ang Mo Kio. The wreaths, placed on a grass patch for a nearby wake, were hit by a gust of wind. One wreath pinned her to the ground, chipping half of her two front teeth and bruising her cheek and shoulder.
Two people at the wake rushed to lift the wreath and offered to call an ambulance. Mrs Khoo declined and phoned her husband instead. She recalled, “I was not even able to describe to him what exactly happened. I just told him: ‘Can you please just get down here.'”
Blame and Pain
Mrs Khoo said the more shocking part was the finger-pointing at the scene. “Everyone was just pushing the blame to each other on why the wreath fell,” she said. The bereaved family claimed the wreaths were gifts from friends, while funeral home staff said they did not place them near the walkway. Some people even brushed off her injuries as “an act of God.”
She was on painkillers for nearly two weeks and underwent multiple dental visits, including a nerve removal. She said, “I was constantly in pain. To top it off, it was embarrassing whenever I opened my mouth with half my front teeth broken off.” Mrs Khoo has fitted temporary aesthetic teeth but still experiences pain when eating. She has spent approximately S$1,000 on dental work and faces an additional S$2,000 to S$3,000 for future procedures.
Safety Measures and Guidelines
The incident occurred three years after the National Environment Agency and the Association of Funeral Directors Singapore introduced guidelines to limit the use of LED wreaths at funerals. Guidelines require at least 1.5 meters of walking space, a maximum of ten wreaths per wake, and turning off lights between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m.
Ang Mo Kio Town Council confirmed it was informed after the accident. Its property team responded, and vendors engaged by the family secured the wreaths. The council’s spokesperson said its role is to brief applicants on guidelines when using common property for funeral displays, and applicants must acknowledge these rules.
Responsibility and Industry Views
Funeral directors noted that residents applying for permits are accountable for safety. Objects in common spaces should not pose hazards, and LED wreath suppliers must ensure installations are safe. Ms Harmony Tee, funeral director at Harmony Funeral Care, said, “We can only advise them and tell them of the regulations, but whether they choose to follow, it’s up to them at the end of the day.”
Mr Vincent Ng of A.LifeGrad Funeral Services added that some families ignore limits and are fined, while suppliers like Mr Martin Loke tie wreaths securely and conduct checks during wakes. He said, “It affects our business. But what to do? We cannot ask customers not to call them. So we just do our part.”
Funeral directors suggested using fresh flower wreaths instead, which are safer and can be placed in caskets on the last day. Some also called for clearer communication of rules or even a ban on LED wreaths to prevent accidents.
