Driver dies after van skids and crashes into covered walkway near Redhill MRT station

SINGAPORE - A 72-year-old driver died after his van skidded and crashed into a covered walkway near Redhill MRT station on Monday afternoon.

The man, who had to be extricated from the driver’s seat by Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) officers using hydraulic rescue equipment, was unconscious when taken to Singapore General Hospital, where he later died.

Both the police and the SCDF said they were alerted to an accident near 920 Tiong Bahru Road at about 3.20pm on Monday.

A passer-by who saw the accident said paramedics performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation on the driver for more than 20 minutes.

Mr Teng Hau Hin, a security officer, said he was on his way home after work when he noticed the van turning the corner of Jalan Tiong to Tiong Bahru Road at high speed.

Sensing danger, he immediately got out of the way and watched as the silver Toyota crashed into the covered walkway, right in front of him, near Redhill MRT station.

The 53-year-old said he could have died had he not been alert.

According to Mr Teng, there was smoke rising from the van after the crash, and a passer-by shut down the vehicle’s engine.

The driver was slumped over the steering wheel, he said.

When The Straits Times arrived at the scene at about 4.40pm, the van was still on the pavement, its windscreen shattered and left tail light damaged.

The signal head of a traffic light near the van was dangling from the pole and two workers standing on a truck-mounted lift were removing the signal head. Parts of the barrier, roof and a beam of the sheltered walkway were also damaged.

The tow truck took about an hour to tow the vehicle away.

The police said investigations are under way.

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• Additional reporting by Neo Xiaobin.

This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.