ST, Published on Oct 18, 2013
The driver of the SUV involved in Wednesday night's accident on
the AYE is reported to be a Mr Tan. He was quoted as saying that the
lorry had slowed down without warning and he could not brake in time. As
of yesterday, 14 of the 16 injured workers have been discharged from
hospital. -- ST PHOTO: DESMOND WEE
THE
driver of a black sport utility vehicle (SUV) that rear-ended a lorry on
the Ayer Rajah Expressway (AYE) on Wednesday night has been arrested
for drink driving, the police said yesterday.
The accident, which happened just before the Jurong Town Hall exit, left 16 men who were in the lorry injured.
They were all workers from Hypex Engineering, which was ferrying 20 of them back to their dormitory in Jurong.
Mr Ng Cheow Teck, the company's operations manager, said the black
SUV had collided with the right rear side of the lorry, which caused it
to skid and turn over.
While the workers at the back of the lorry were prevented from being
flung out of the lorry by the rails and a canopy, they sustained
external injuries, said Mr Ng.
The SUV driver was reported by Chinese daily Lianhe Wanbao to be a Mr
Tan. He was quoted as saying that the lorry had slowed down without
warning, and that the accident occurred because he could not brake in
time. He also claimed to be the one who called the police and the
Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF). He is understood to be aged 44.
The SCDF said it took four of the injured workers to the National
University Hospital, while the remaining 12 were taken to Alexandra
Hospital.
No critical injuries were observed, said the SCDF spokesman.
As of yesterday, 14 of the 16 men have been discharged.
Mr Ng said one worker remained warded at Alexandra Hospital for
observation due to a head injury, while the other worker was still at
NUH as he had complained of back pain.
Separately, a pile-up involving at least eight cars and a motorcycle
occurred at about 10.20pm on Wednesday night on the Pan-Island
Expressway towards Changi, near the Eunos exit. The SCDF said it was
informed of the accident at 10.24pm and it dispatched an ambulance to
the scene. No one was taken to hospital.
LIM YAN LIANG
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