Six people were taken to hospital after a car accident in Punggol yesterday morning.

The police said they were alerted to the accident involving three pedestrians in Punggol Central, towards Sumang Lane, at 8.48am.

The driver and two passengers were among the six, aged between 29 and 65, taken to Khoo Teck Puat Hospital. The 63-year-old driver was later arrested for causing hurt by a negligent act, the police said.

Engineer Koh Chek Kian told The Straits Times that he saw the car breach the kerb and hit a tree at high speed. "It then swerved 90 degrees, and its tail hit three people on the road island who were waiting to cross the road," he said.

Passers-by and churchgoers from the nearby Church of the Transfiguration ran over to help.

One injured woman was trapped under the car and had to be rescued by Singapore Civil Defence Force officers using hydraulic tools.

Mr Koh, 48, said the woman's leg was trapped under a wheel of the car and bleeding profusely. He said some passers-by used some of their clothing to help stem the bleeding.

The driver and his two passengers were bleeding from cuts and abrasions on their arms, Mr Koh said.

He added that one of the passengers was an elderly woman crying out in pain. "She was slumped over in the centre part of the car. I had to help her out... She said she was very dizzy and her right leg felt numb."

Videos provided by Mr Koh show several people at the site, with the car on the road divider.

A photo taken by Chinese-language daily Lianhe Wanbao shows the car's front and hood severely damaged and bent out of shape from its impact with the tree. The police are investigating the incident.

Tee Zhuo