Singapore Director Jailed, Company Fined $500,000 Over 2021 Tuas Explosion That Killed Three

Five years after a deadly explosion at a Tuas industrial plant, Singaporean company director Chua Xing Da, 42, has been sentenced to 18 months and one week in jail, and his firm Stars Engrg fined $500,000 for workplace safety violations. The explosion occurred on February 24, 2021, at the company's facility at 32E Tuas Avenue 11, killing three workers—Indian national Subbaiyan Marimuthu, 38, and Bangladeshi nationals Anisuzzaman Md, 29, and Shohel Md, 23—all of whom suffered 90 per cent burns. Seven others, including five Stars employees and two workers from a neighbouring unit, sustained serious burn injuries.

The incident stemmed from unsafe operation of a heated mixing machine purchased from Chinese manufacturer LaiZhou Keda Chemical Machinery Co in August 2019 for approximately US$11,700. As the company's sole director, Chua operated the mixer based on incorrect assumptions rather than consulting the manufacturer's guidance. Critical safety lapses included operating the machine with insufficient heating oil, running it as a closed system instead of an open one, and failing to properly monitor the oil jacket temperature using the two resistance temperature detectors provided. District Judge Tan Jen Tse noted that the breaches occurred over a substantial period, with ample opportunity for correction, yet Chua neither sought manufacturer advice nor heeded multiple warning signs including overheating, oil leaks, and a fire incident before the fatal explosion.

Chua was convicted of two counts of workplace safety violations and one count of obstructing justice. He instructed production manager Lwin Moe Tun, a 36-year-old Myanmar national, to delete text messages and photos documenting unsafe practices, specifically regarding the changing of a faulty heater. Lwin Moe Tun was sentenced to six weeks in jail for deleting the messages but was acquitted of workplace safety charges. Stars Engrg, which specialises in installing fire protection systems, was convicted of failing to ensure the mixer was safe to use and failing to provide adequate training and supervision to employees operating the equipment.

Judge Tan emphasised that the manufacturer was readily available to assist, demonstrating helpfulness through responsive communication, and that the company and director could have easily consulted on proper oil quantities, operational procedures, and repairs at no cost. Instead, Chua attempted to troubleshoot with incomplete knowledge while the mixer remained under warranty. The judge accepted that Stars had implemented general safety measures such as worker training, personal protective equipment provision, and factory cleanliness, but noted these did not address the fundamental failures in managing the specific hazards of the mixing machine operation.