'I was scared to death': Car mechanic injured after lorry crashes into vehicle he was repairing

A car mechanic was left with injuries on his head, arm and knee after a vehicle crashed into a lorry that he was repairing along the BKE on Monday (May 20). 

The mechanic, surnamed Ji, told Shin Min Daily News that he was called down to repair a white Malaysian-registered lorry which broke down after the Woodlands Ave 3 exit. He arrived at about 4pm. 

"I was repairing the lorry for about 30 minutes when the accident happened. I heard a loud bang, and I saw that a green lorry had crashed into the white lorry. I got a shock," the 24-year-old told the Chinese daily. 

At that point, he was fixing something underneath the white lorry and the impact sent him flying.

"I was scared to death," he said. 

Ji recounted that the driver of the white lorry was standing next to his vehicle watching the repairs when the accident happened. The impact of the crash sent that driver flying underneath the lorry. 

"He was seriously injured and suffered some fractures, but luckily he was still conscious." 

The lorry driver later had to undergo surgery, reported Shin Min. 

Although Ji did not sustain any fractures, he was given a three-day MC from the doctor and was asked to go back for a follow-up appointment. 

"I can't move normally because my knee hurts," he lamented. 

Green lorry driver trapped in vehicle 

Although he did not suffer any injuries, the driver of the green lorry was trapped in his vehicle after the accident. 

Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) personnel had to put up a ladder for him to climb out of the lorry. The vehicle belongs to a logistics company. 

A spokesperson from the logistics company told Shin Min that the driver involved in the accident that day saw the white lorry and the mechanic's van parked on the side of the expressway.

However, there were no fences or breakdown triangles to warn others that there were ongoing repair works, he said.

He added that he received a call from his driver after the accident, who asked him to go down to the site.

"He kept asking me to check on the other lorry driver when I first arrived, so I did that before going to check on him," said the spokesperson. 

The spokesperson added that the driver did not to go the hospital as he felt fine after the accident.

"I told him over the phone that he should visit the hospital if he felt unwell." 

Lorry driver helping with investigations: Police

In response to AsiaOne's queries, the SCDF confirmed that two persons were taken to Khoo Teck Puat Hospital at about 4.35pm on May 20. Another person was assessed for minor injuries but declined to be sent to the hospital. 

The police told AsiaOne they were alerted to an accident involving a van and two lorries on Monday. 

A 24-year-old male van driver and a 49-year-old male lorry driver were conveyed conscious to the hospital.

They added that a 33-year-old male lorry driver is assisting with investigations.

Police investigations are ongoing.

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claudiatan@asiaone.com