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A MOTHER instinctively shoved her children out of harm's way when a lorry came careering down a pavement yesterday, but was critically injured herself.
Mrs Shanti Baskaralingam, 32, was walking along the pavement opposite Block 210, Toa Payoh Lorong 8, with her daughter Pratheepa, 15, and son Sarugesh, three, when a collision on the other side of the road sent the lorry charging her way.
The Toa Payoh resident is now warded at Tan Tock Seng Hospital in a critical condition, said her husband, Mr Maheswaran Baskaralingam.
The accident happened at about 9.45am, after a container truck crashed into the lorry, which was pulling out of a carpark. The impact sent the vegetable-laden lorry veering across the road and onto the pavement.
The housewife shoved her children away from danger the second she saw it coming. Both of them were not hit by the lorry but the boy suffered a hip fracture from the impact of the fall and has been warded at KK Women's and Children's Hospital.
'It was so scary... the lorry suddenly came out of nowhere. It was a nightmare to see my mother flying into the air and hitting the ground later,' said Pratheepa.
'I know my mother wanted to make sure we were safe first because she loves us very much. I hope she will make it through because my family cannot do without her.'
Her father, a 45-year-old chef, rushed to the scene after she called him.
The family, including a third child, who was in school at the time, lives in Block 225, about a minute's walk from where the accident happened.
The driver of the lorry, who gave his name only as Mr Goh and is in his 30s, suffered minor injuries and was taken to Tan Tock Seng.
He was deeply apologetic to the family. 'I didn't expect the other vehicle to come so fast... I am really very sorry towards the family,' he said.
The driver of the container truck, known only as Mr Ong, was not injured, and explained that he did not see the lorry coming out of the carpark and had to brake suddenly.
Police are investigating.
The Baskaralingam family kept vigil at both hospitals last night, shuffling between KKH and Tan Tock Seng.
'This is so unfair... It is not their fault at all because they were walking on the walkway. I am praying hard that everything will be fine,' said Mr Baskaralingam.
leepq@sph.com.sg
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