Six people injured as bus crashes into tree on TPE slip road; driver suspended
Six people were injured when an SBS Transit bus they were on crashed into a tree on Christmas Day.
The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF), in a statement on Saturday (Dec 25), said it was alerted to the accident around 11am.
The bus was travelling on the slip road from the Tampines Expressway towards the Kallang-Paya Lebar Expressway (KPE) when it crashed into the tree, the SCDF said.
When SCDF officers arrived, they found that the 40-year-old driver was trapped in his seat and could not free himself.
They then used hydraulic rescue equipment to free him, and later took him to Changi General Hospital for treatment.
The others injured were taken to Sengkang General Hospital.
In photographs and videos of the accident - circulated widely on social media - the windshield of the bus can be seen to have caved in from the impact of the crash.
The side window next to the driver's seat was also shattered.
In response to queries from The Straits Times, a spokesman for SBS Transit said the transport operator's main priority is the well-being of the five passengers who were taken to hospital.
She added that SBS Transit is in touch with them and is helping the victims as best as it can.
She said: “Meanwhile, the bus captain has been suspended from duty pending police investigations. We apologise to affected commuters for the distress and inconvenience caused.”
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