CNY tragedy: Five die after car slams into Tanjong Pagar shophouse, fire breaks out

[Huat Zai]

 

SINGAPORE - Five people have died and one was sent to Singapore General Hospital after a car slammed into the front of a shophouse on Saturday (Feb 13) morning.

In a statement to The Straits Times, the SCDF said it was alerted to a fire at 37 Tanjong Pagar Rd at about 5.40am.

"The fire involved a car and the front of a shophouse. SCDF extinguished the fire with three water jets and one compressed air foam backpack," it said.

Five people were pronounced dead at the scene and one, a woman, sent to SGH with serious burn injuries. ST understands that the five who died were in the car - a BMW - when the accident happened.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

When ST arrived at the scene at 7.50am, about 200m of Tanjong Pagar Road was cordoned off and there was a strong burning smell in the air. 

 

 

Family members were spotted at the scene and are believed to have identified the bodies of the deceased. They were taken from the accident scene to the mortuary at the SGH in two police hearses. The first, carrying one body, arrived at 11.11am, while the second arrived at 11.26am with the remaining four bodies.

At around 10.50am, the police expanded the cordon to block off the whole of Cook Street and more of Duxton Hill.

Mr Song Seng Wun, 60, an economist who lives in the area, said he heard cars revving loudly down the road at about 5.30am. After about 10 minutes, he heard a loud crash. “I looked out of my window and saw flames,” he told ST.

He saw that the car had crashed into the first floor of a shophouse, which was empty at the time.

 

When Mr Song went to the scene of the incident, he saw a man kneeling and crying on the side of the road. He said: "He was crying hysterically and begging the police officers for help, saying his friends were in the burning car."

 

The SCDF said it was alerted to a fire at 37 Tanjong Pagar Rd at about 5.40am. PHOTO: SONG SENG WUN

 

ST understands that the five who died were in the car when the accident happened. ST PHOTO: CHONG JUN LIANG

 

 

The Land Transport Authority announced a road closure on Tanjong Pagar Road (towards Murray Street) after Maxwell Road at 7.30am.

SBS Transit said that bus services 80 and 145 were being diverted from Tanjong Pagar Road (towards Hoe Chiang Road), with 10 bus stops skipped due to an accident.

Shopkeepers with shops in the area have been standing around the cordoned-off area trying to find out what’s happening, and when they can get to their premises.

The shophouse involved in the accident was previously occupied by Five Oars Coffee Roasters. The cafe had recently moved out of the premises.

 

Police vans seen at the accident scene, on Feb 13, 2021. ST PHOTO: CHONG JUN LIANG

 

 

https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/courts-crime/five-die-after-car-slams-into-tanjong-pagar-shophouse-on-saturday-morning?utm_campaign=stfb&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook

[Huat Zai]

CNY Tanjong Pagar accident: Woman badly burnt trying to save boyfriend from burning car, says friend

 

SINGAPORE - A friend of one of the five victims in Saturday's horrific crash at Tanjong Pagar Road said a woman tried to save one of them and got burned doing so.

On Saturday (Feb 13) morning, five people were killed and one sent to Singapore General Hospital (SGH) after a car, a BMW, slammed into the front of a shophouse there.

The Singapore Civil Defence Force was alerted at about 5.40am.

Mr Akira Chan, 21, a friend of the victims, told The Straits Times one of the victims ran a popular Korean eatery in the area.

He said: "They were at the restaurant around the time and were going back when the car skidded.

"The fiancée of one of my friends in the car tried to open the door to save him and was burned as a result."

 

 

ST understands she suffered 80 per cent burns to her body and is being treated at the SGH burns unit.

Mr Chan, who spoke to ST at the accident scene, said his other friends who were at the restaurant at the time witnessed the accident and were assisting in police investigations.

The family members of the victims arrived at about 10.30am, and were believed to have identified the bodies before they were taken away to the mortuary.

They were heard wailing from about 30m away, across the road from the site of the crash.

They left the scene at about 11.30am and declined to speak to reporters.

A young woman among the group was seen breaking down by the side of the road, and the other family members appeared distraught.

 

Two tow trucks were also at the accident site.

The five bodies were taken to the mortuary in two police hearses.

The first, carrying one body, arrived at 11.10am, while the second, with the remaining four bodies, arrived at 11.25am.

 

https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/courts-crime/cny-tanjong-pagar-tragedy-woman-badly-burnt-trying-to-save-boyfriend-from

[aaur4man]

4896 Sia.......

[Cynical Ape]

Could be another case of drunk driving.

 

RIP. 

Edited February 13, 2021 by Cynical Ape

[The_King]

Don't speed.  Speeding kill

 

 

Edited February 13, 2021 by The_King

[The_King]