78-year-old woman falls and fractures spine after bus door closes on her

SINGAPORE – A 78-year-old woman fractured her spine after she fell when a door of the bus she was on unexpectedly closed on her, Shin Min Daily News reported on Monday.

The incident happened when she was alighting from the SBS Transit bus service 238, using the door at the front of the vehicle, at Block 231 Lorong 8 Toa Payoh last Friday afternoon. The woman, identified as Madam Lim, was on her way home after her grocery run.

Madam Lim’s son, whom Shin Min identified as Mr Wee, told the Chinese-language daily that his mother was about to get off the bus when the door closed abruptly. She could not react in time and was hit on the shoulder before she fell.

The bus driver and two passengers immediately went to Madam Lim’s aid, and helped her sit down at the bus stop.

The Singapore Civil Defence Force said that a person was taken to Tan Tock Seng Hospital after it was alerted to a call for assistance in Lorong 8 Toa Payoh at about 1.20pm.

Mr Wee, 51, said: “My mother said the driver said that he accidentally pressed the button to close the door.”

Mr Wee told Shin Min that the cost of his mother’s medical expenses has exceeded $3,000.

“She is still being observed in the hospital... She kept shouting in pain, I couldn’t bear to see it,” said Mr Wee, adding that his mother would need three months to recover.

In response to queries, SBS Transit spokesman Grace Wu did not elaborate on details of the incident, but said: “We are sorry that this has happened and our topmost priority is the well-being of Madam Lim.

“We are in touch with her family to express our care and concern and render assistance as best we can. Meanwhile, we wish Madam Lim a speedy and complete recovery.”

Madam Lim’s accident comes after another public transport passenger was injured recently.

On July 29, a 48-year-old woman’s

little and ring fingers were fractured

after they were caught between an MRT train door and the train wall.