Man dies after being run over by Bukit Panjang LRT train

The body of Mr Ang, a Malaysian believed to be a commuter who fell from the LRT platform at Fajar station, being moved yesterday morning. Police are investigating the unnatural death.
The body of Mr Ang, a Malaysian believed to be a commuter who fell from the LRT platform at Fajar station, being moved yesterday morning. Police are investigating the unnatural death. PHOTO: SHIN MIN DAILY NEWS

A Malaysian man in his 40s died after being run over by a train on the Bukit Panjang LRT system in the wee hours yesterday morning.

The body of Mr Ang Boon Tiong was spotted on the tracks at Fajar station after the last train in service left the platform that night.

He is believed to be a commuter who fell from the platform.

Staff alerted the LRT operations control centre to the body at about 1am, said Ms Margaret Teo, head of corporate marketing and communications at SMRT, which operates the Bukit Panjang LRT system.

Mr Ang was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics, said the Singapore Civil Defence Force, which arrived on site shortly after.

Police are investigating the unnatural death. SMRT said it is extending its full cooperation in the investigations.

Most residents in three Housing Board blocks facing the station said they did not realise an incident had happened, but some said they heard noises from the station.

"I heard a scratching noise and a boom at around 1am, but I thought it was just workers working," said Ms Asrotulida, 30, a maid who goes by one name.

Ms Fiona Neo, 25, who is unemployed, spotted an ambulance, fire engine and police cars when she returned home at 1.45am. "But there was no one around," she added.

Resident Tay Seow Song, 65, a bus driver on his way to work yesterday morning, said the first train arrived slightly later. "It generally comes at around 4.55am, but services seemed to be delayed today."

When The Straits Times visited Fajar station later yesterday morning, services appeared to be operating as normal.

This is not the first fatality on the LRT line, which opened in 1999. In 2000, a hawker assistant died after being hit by a train at Jelapang station. He had walked on the tracks after having too much to drink.

The Fajar station has steel and glass barriers with fixed openings that are aligned with train doors.

The Land Transport Authority told The Straits Times these barriers have been installed at all LRT stations, except two, in the Bukit Panjang system, which is set to have its ageing components completely replaced and its systems upgraded.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on March 25, 2017, with the headline Man dies after being run over by Bukit Panjang LRT train. Subscribe