A SNACK turned deadly for hairstylist Huang Yan Ping.

Feeling peckish, the 33-year-old decided to snack on some biscuits.

Then she suddenly gagged.

The incident took place at about 11.30pm on Tuesday. She was rushed to the National University Hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival.

Ms Huang's good friend, a 33-year-old factory worker who wanted to be known only as Ms Zhou, told Lianhe Wanbao that the two of them had been chatting on the phone moments earlier.

She said she had been on the phone with Ms Huang till 11.30pm that night.

Ms Huang, who was from Johor Baru, lived in a three-room rented flat in Jurong East with two other flatmates.

They saw a look of panic on Ms Huang's face as she gagged, Ms Zhou said.

'She had difficulty breathing after choking on the biscuit but could shout to her flatmates for help,' she said.

'Together, they managed to fish out the biscuit that was stuck in her throat. She then coughed twice before losing consciousness.

'They immediately rushed her to the hospital, but she did not make it.'

Ms Zhou said Ms Huang was married and had two children, aged 12 and 11, who live in Johor Baru.

The children's father works in Thailand. He has been told of his wife's death.

Earlier on Tuesday, Ms Zhou had visited Ms Huang before heading to work in the afternoon. She explained that she had not seen her friend for some time.

She said: 'I don't know why I had suddenly thought of visiting her at her work place at 4pm on Tuesday.

'I bought a packet of chicken rice for her. After we ate, I asked her, on the spur of the moment, to dye my hair before I left.'

According to Ms Zhou, her friend worked at a Jurong East hair salon that was owned by Ms Huang's elder sister.

'When we talked on the phone a few minutes before the accident, she told me she wanted to bring her children here to study,' she said.

'She said she had not yet applied for PR status, so the process is a bit more troublesome... Now her wish will not be fulfilled.'

She told Shin Min Daily News that Ms Huang was a cheerful person who enjoyed karaoke singing and was very interested in hairdressing.

No one was home when The New Paper visited Ms Huang's flat last night.

Her neighbours said she often gave the elderly folks in the neighbourhood haircuts.

Mr Wang Cheng Yong, 61, a lorry driver, said: 'She was an easy-going person and would give elderly people a discount for their haircuts, charging them only $4 each time.

'She had cut my mother's hair a few times in the past year. She refused to accept more money when we offered to pay her more.'

Madam Oh Chia, 80, whose sister went to Ms Huang for haircuts, said Ms Huang would make house calls if her elderly customers had difficulty walking.

Mr Wang said he often saw Ms Huang riding a bicycle to her sister's hair salon.

He described the slender woman as courteous and kind-hearted.

Madam Oh said Ms Huang's mother, her elder sister and her sister's husband, as well as a younger brother live in a three-room flat a few blocks away.

Ms Huang used to live with them but moved out when the flat became too crowded.

She had been living in her current home for five years.

Madam Oh said: 'I can't believe she's dead. I just saw her on Monday. She was hanging out two bamboo poles with towels that she used for her hairdressing.'

She said Ms Huang normally did not cook and had her meals out.

Ms Huang's body will be sent home to her family in Johor Baru.

This article was first published in The New Paper on Apr 3, 2008.