SINGAPORE - One man was taken to hospital after his car crashed into a tree at Lorong Chuan and caught fire.

The incident happened at about 2.30pm at Lorong Chuan towards Serangoon Garden Way, police said.

A 34-year-old man, understood to be the driver, was taken to Tan Tock Seng Hospital.

The white Malaysia-registered Perodua Alza crashed into a large tree outside Blossom Discovery Centre, a pre-school along Lorong Chuan, which is next to a Caltex petrol station.

The car also ploughed through a concrete barrier, and the front windscreen was completely shattered.

Pump attendant Koh Eng Ho, 40, saw flames emerging from the car. He immediately grabbed a fire extinguisher to help weaken the flames.

Emergency responders from the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF), who were alerted at 2.40pm, arrived a while later.

The fire was extinguished with compressed air foam and a fire extinguisher, SCDF said.

The car driver did not have any visible injuries when he exited the car, Mr Koh said.

A teacher at Blossom Discovery Centre said that the smoke rose to quite a distance.

The car was towed away at around 3.45pm with traffic police present to help direct traffic.

SCDF sent one fire engine, one Red Rhino, two fire bikes and one ambulance to the scene.

Police said investigations are ongoing.