Eight people were rushed to hospital in Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) ambulances, after a chain collision along the East Coast Parkway just before midnight on Tuesday.

The accident - which involved an SBS bus, lorry, panel-van and saloon car - occured at about 11pm. Eyewitnesses told The Straits Times that it happened after the bus, which was seen swerving from the right to left lanes on the expressway, rammed head-on into the back of the lorry. The lorry then crashed into the van, which in turn hit the Opel saloon in front of it.

The entire front section of the bus was smashed, leaving its driver trapped in his seat until the SCDF's Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (Dart) managed to extricate him using hydraulic tools. A medical team from the Singapore General Hospital (SGH) was also activated to assist in the accident.

An SCDF spokesman said they received a call about the incident at about 11.10pm and responded with four ambulances, three support vehicles and two fire engines. Besides the bus driver, three bus passengers and four workers from the lorry were conveyed to SGH just after midnight.

The Straits Times understands that all eight casualties were conscious when they were taken away from the accident scene.