Elderly man killed, 8 injured in 3-car accident in Hougang

A 79-year-old man was killed and eight people - four men and four women - were injured in the accident. ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG
SCDF paramedics tending to an injured woman. ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG

SINGAPORE - A 79-year-old man died and eight people were injured in a three-car accident at the junction of Sengkang Central and Buangkok Drive on Monday (Feb 15).

The accident, which occurred at around 12.30pm, involved two cars - a Volvo and a Hyundai driven by the man - and a taxi.

Mr Joseph Lee told The Straits Times he was driving past the scene of the accident and decided to stop and help. The victim was trapped in the driver's seat of his Hyundai sedan, Mr Lee added.

A trained medic, Mr Lee entered the car through the front passenger door and attempted to revive the man with an automated external defibrillator, but was unsuccessful.

The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said it had initially sent a single ambulance when alerted to the incident. But SCDF received another call 10 minutes later, informing it of the man trapped in his sedan.

Two fire engines, two fire bikes, two ambulances and a support vehicle were immediately dispatched, said an SCDF spokesman.

The man was extricated using hydraulic rescue tools but was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics.

A blue police tent is seen in the aftermath of the accident. ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG

His female passenger, believed to be his domestic helper, suffered injuries and was taken to Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, Mr Lee said.

Seven others - four men and three women - were also injured, according to the SCDF spokesman. Six were conveyed conscious to the same hospital, although one man refused to be sent.

Police investigations are ongoing, a police spokesman said.

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