3 taken to hospital after tree in Ulu Pandan CC falls

A large tree in the compound of Ulu Pandan Community Club in Ghim Moh Road fell and trapped two people yesterday evening.

A third person was found injured near the tree.

They were conscious and in stable condition when they were taken to the National University Hospital, said the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF). It was alerted to the incident around 5.55pm.

"Rescuers had to lower themselves down a steep slope and make their way through some vegetation to reach the incident site," said SCDF.

Its emergency medical specialists were on-site to monitor the victims' vital signs when the tree was cut. K9 search dogs were used to check if there were other victims.

It is not known why the tree fell, and how it ended up down a steep slope. When contacted, a spokesman for Ulu Pandan CC said: "We are currently working to establish the facts of the incident."

The Sunday Times understands that the fallen tree is an African Mahogany. Introduced to Singapore in the late 1970s, they can grow up to 60m tall. They have thick trunks and buttress roots and can be spotted along most expressways.

There have been other recent accidents involving falling trees. On Feb 20, a man was pinned in the driver's seat after a tree fell on his car in Punggol. On Feb 18 last year, a woman was killed after a tree fell on her in Marsiling Park.

Holland-Bukit Timah GRC MP Christopher de Souza said a professional arborist will advise on the health of the tree.