Hundreds stood anxiously outside the Ministry of Manpower at Havelock Road today as they witnessed a man perched precariously on the rooftop of the eight-storey building.
It's believed the China national was attempting suicide.
But Police coaxed him to safety one hour after he was first spotted.
He was later arrested.
Shaffiq Alkhatib reports.
It was a sight that caused many to break out in nervous sweat.
The man was dangling his legs over the edge of the building - seemingly oblivious to the rescue effort that was taking place some 30 metres below.
SCDF officers inflated a large yellow lifepack the size of a small HDB bedroom directly beneath him to cushion his fall should he slip off the building.
An eyewitness who called 938LIVE said, she saw the man on the rooftop at around 3pm.
"I noticed that the police were erecting a cordon and all the people seem to be looking up so I looked up at the top of the building and so, what appeared to be a man sitting on the top of the building. So that's as much as what I saw as we drove past."
Another eyewitness said he was outside nearby People's Park Centre when he spotted the man.
"The guy was actually on the phone, on the rooftop the guy was on the phone. Then I informed the Police and Civil Defence after that."
SCDF said it received a call about the case shortly before 3pm.
It dispatched two support vehicles, two fire engines and an ambulance to the scene.
The Manpower Ministry said, the man had approached it on five occasions on Monday on various employment issues
MOM added, its officers had advised him accordingly on all his concerns.
Investigations are still ongoing.
--938Live