How girl's hand was freed from sugar cane juicer

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He had just bought a sugar cane machine for his drinks stall but tragedy struck when the stallholder's daughter got her right hand caught in the machine.

The machine exerted so much pressure on the hand that it crushed three fingers and tore off the skin on the wrist.

The horrific incident happened on Sunday at a Toa Payoh Lorong 8 Food Centre.

Tan Li Xuan, a 14-year-old secondary school student, who was having her school holidays, was helping out at her father's drinks stall. As Li Xuan and her father were closing the stall at about 8.40pm, the girl's hand slipped into the machine.

Mr Tan Guang An, 47, told Shin Min Daily News: "I was cleaning up the stall when I suddenly heard my daughter screaming in pain. "I was shocked to see her hand stuck in the machine and I immediately cut off power to it."

Mr Tan then called the police and Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF). The SCDF dispatched one fire engine, one Red Rhino and a Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team to the scene.

A technician familiar with the sugar cane machine happened to be at the scene and helped to dismantle it. Using wrenches and screwdrivers, the rescuers took 30 minutes to free Li Xuan, who was conscious throughout the ordeal.

An SCDF spokesman said: "The dismantling of the machine was not straightforward, but because the technician was there, we were able to free her quickly."

Li Xuan was taken to Tan Tock Seng hospital immediately after she was freed.

Li Xuan and her siblings, including a 16-year-old sister, take turns to help out at their father's stall.

The stall started to sell sugar cane juice to boost income only after the food centre was renovated in 2011, Shin Min reported. Now the family is concerned about Li Xuan's medical bills.

Mr Tan said: "I will try to find the best doctor and the best treatment for her, but we might have financial problems because we did not buy any insurance for her."