Driver dies after being run over by own prime mover in freak accident at Yishun

A moment's forgetfulness cost a prime mover driver his life.

39-year-old Shanmugam Jothi was killed on Wednesday (April 27) morning after the prime mover he had just parked at a block near 15 Yishun Industrial St 1 rolled over him.

He was believed to be returning to the heavy vehicle after realising he had forgotten to engage the brakes. However, the vehicle moved forward and crushed him, Shin Min Daily News reported.

Hong, a man who works in the industrial building told the Chinese evening daily that he saw police officers and ambulances at the scene. 

In a one-minute video Hong showed reporters, Jothi was seen walking towards the vehicle when it started moving off a slope.

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The deceased, an Indian national, worked at a logistics company here for the past seven years.

According to the manager of the company, Jothi was picking up cargo at the location that morning. He added that the company is in the midst of contacting and providing assistance to the deceased's family in India.

The police said they were alerted to a fatal accident at 8.09am. Upon arrival, a man was found lying motionless on the ground and pronounced dead on the scene by a Singapore Civil Defence Force paramedic.

Police investigations are ongoing.

In December 2016, prime mover driver Guo Jiasheng was killed in a similar accident at 15 Pandan Crescent. While attempting to return to the driver's seat to stop his prime mover, he was crushed against a wall, the coroner said.

lamminlee@asiaone.com