Driver dies, trapped in burning car
A driver was trapped in his Mercedez-Benz after an accident at Queensway yesterday.
Several workers and residents witnessed the horrific scene of flames engulfing the car.
Ms Shoba Bartholomeuz, who was at home in Block 26, Tanglin Halt Road, said she rushed over when she heard the crash just outside.
She saw a group of foreign workers desperately trying to smash the windscreen to rescue the driver.
The fire seemed to originate from the engine, she told The New Paper on Sunday.
Flames were quickly engulfing the car which had earlier crashed into a nearby tree.
Although the foreign workers continued hacking at the windscreen, they could not get to the driver.
Ms Bartholomeuz, 53, said: "I saw foreign workers banging on his window with a metal pole, trying to break it.
"It all happened so quickly. Within minutes, the whole car was engulfed in flames and we all had to move away from the car because it looked like it could explode at any time."
Another resident, Mr Cai Yao Cheng, in his 50s, told TNPS that the foreign workers and passers-by had to move away from the car as the fire was too intense.
Shin Min Daily News reported four foreign workers ran over to help when they realised the driver had lost consciousness.
They had been working at a nearby overhead bridge.
Ms Bartholomeuz, who was at the scene with her cousin, Mr Sara, had rushed over from her first-storey unit about 40 metres from the scene.
The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) dispatched two fire engines, two fire bikes, an ambulance and one support vehicle.
The 43-year-old male driver was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics.
Mr Cai, who works in the construction industry, said it took several minutes before the paramedics could extricate the body.
POLICE TENT
The driver's body was then covered by the police tent.
Ms Bartholomeuz said: "I couldn't bear to even look in the direction of the tent.
"I saw the whole thing happen and I knew someone was in the car. For the very first time, a man died in front of my eyes and there was nothing I could do help him."
The police, who received a call about the accident at 10.26am, are investigating the unnatural death.
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