VIDEO

Fatal Tampines crash: 20-year-old arrested for dangerous driving

Two teenage girls, Ms Phoebe Lo (left), 19, and Ms Michelle Phoe, 18, were killed when the car they were passengers in crashed into a tree early yesterday. -- PHOTOS: FACEBOOK PAGES OF PHOEBE LO AND MICHELLE PHOE
Two teenage girls, Ms Phoebe Lo (left), 19, and Ms Michelle Phoe, 18, were killed when the car they were passengers in crashed into a tree early yesterday. -- PHOTOS: FACEBOOK PAGES OF PHOEBE LO AND MICHELLE PHOE
The scene of the early morning crash in Tampines Road yesterday which claimed the lives of two teenage girls. The driver was trapped in his seat and had to be rescued by SCDF officers with hydraulic tools. -- PHOTO: SHIN MIN DAILY NEWS

Two teenage girls were killed when the car they were passengers in crashed into a tree early yesterday.

Ms Michelle Phoe, 18, and Ms Phoebe Lo, 19, were pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics. Both had been in the back seat of the white Toyota.

Police were called to the Tampines Road accident at about 6.20am.

The driver, 20-year-old Mr Tang Zi Liang, was trapped in his seat and had to be rescued by Singapore Civil Defence Force officers with hydraulic tools.

He complained of chest pains and was taken to Changi General Hospital, along with an 18-year-old girl who had been in the front passenger seat. Both were conscious and had no visible injuries.

Mr Tang was subsequently arrested on suspicion of dangerous driving causing death under Section 66 of the Road Traffic Act. Investigations are ongoing.

Hours after the tragedy, tributes to the two victims were posted on their Facebook pages.

Friends described Ms Phoe as "bubbly" and "cheerful" on her wall.

One wrote: "Your smile was incredibly infectious. This all happened too soon."

Another comment on Ms Lo's wall referred to her as "the most beautiful girl I (had) ever met".

According to their Facebook profiles, Ms Phoe was an alumna of both Republic Polytechnic and Junyuan Secondary School, while Ms Lo went to Zhangde Primary School.

Ms Phoe was also a fan of Irish boybands Westlife and Boyzone.

A picture on Ms Lo's page revealed that she had completed a nursing course at the Institute of Technical Education in December 2012. Attempts to contact the girls' family members were unsuccessful.

yeosamjo@sph.com.sg

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