A worker died after a fall at the construction site for the Housing Board's Eastcreek @ Canberra project.

The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) said the foreign worker was installing a pre-cast column on the 13th storey of the building in Canberra Street when he fell over the edge last Saturday. The Straits Times understands he was not wearing a safety harness when the accident occurred at about 8.30pm.

The police and Singapore Civil Defence Force confirmed that a 44-year-old Chinese national was pronounced dead by paramedics at the scene. Police said the accident is being investigated as an "unnatural death".

A 28-year-old Indian worker at the site in Sembawang told ST that he sometimes made small talk with the accident victim despite the language barrier between them.

"He wasn't very good (at English), so I asked him if he was married, just to break the ice," said the worker, who did not want to be named. The accident victim showed him pictures of his young son and daughter.

MOM has ordered the main contractor, Expand Construction, to stop all work relating to the installation of precast components.

The worker was an employee of Dong Zhou Engineering, a subcontractor of TSF Construction, which in turn is a subcontractor for the building work.

TSF Construction said in response to queries that it regrets the accident and will "emphasise even more" on safety with its subcontractors, adding that it already conducts safety training for all its workers.

Expand Construction and Dong Zhou Engineering could not be reached for comment.

The HDB said it was unable to release further details about the accident due to an MOM investigation.

This is the second reported fatal workplace accident in the area this month.

A 44-year-old Indian construction worker died after a fall at a worksite in Gambas Avenue in Woodlands on May 1.