A garbage truck driver was left unconscious and two others injured after a crash in Hougang on Tuesday morning, March 24, disrupting traffic in the area for several hours.
The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) and police said that the accident, involving a truck from waste management firm Cora Environment, took place near the junction of Hougang Avenue 3 and Hougang Street 12. The authorities were alerted to the incident at about 5.50 am.
The 33-year-old driver was found trapped in his seat inside the cabin following the impact, which caused the dashboard and steering wheel to be pushed inwards. Firefighters from Paya Lebar and Changi fire stations, along with rescuers from the Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (DART), carried out a complex operation to free him.
SCDF said that the rescuers had to manoeuvre the damaged cabin to release the driver's lower body while using hydraulic equipment to pull apart the crushed front section of the truck. The driver was unconscious when he was transported to Changi General Hospital.
Two passengers, aged 33 and 37, were also taken to the same hospital with minor injuries.
In a statement, a spokesperson for Cora Environment said that the company is providing support to the affected staff and their families, adding that it is cooperating with police investigations as well.
The crash caused significant disruption to morning traffic. According to the Land Transport Authority (LTA), all three lanes in Lorong Ah Soo towards Hougang Avenue 1 were initially closed, followed by the closure of Hougang Avenue 3 shortly after.
The affected stretch remained shut for nearly four hours before reopening at around 11.30 am.
Public transport services were also impacted. SBS Transit announced temporary diversions for bus services 25, 45, 51, 55, 87 and 151. Several bus stops along Hougang Avenue 3, including those opposite Block 169, near Hougang Depot and before Singapore Girls' Home, were skipped during the disruption.
The police investigations into the cause of the accident are still ongoing.
