MALAYSIAN MOTORCYCLIST KILLED IN CRASH INVOLVING 6 VEHICLES

BY NUR ASYIQIN MOHAMAD SALLEH, Straits Times

A MOTORCYCLIST was killed in a six-vehicle chain collision yesterday morning that left him pinned between a minibus and a tipper truck.

Mr Sashivarman Murugakandar, a 22-year-old Malaysian, was pronounced dead at the scene at the junction of Ang Mo Kio Avenue 6 and Avenue 1.

The pile-up involved a tipper truck, two cars, a motorcycle, and a minibus. A lorry in the next lane was also hit by one of the cars in the crash.

The drivers of the cars, minibus and tipper truck were taken to Tan Tock Seng Hospital, where three were discharged by 3pm.

The hospital could not give details about the condition of the car driver who was being treated.

The Singapore Civil Defence Force sent a fire engine, Red Rhino, three ambulances and two support vehicles to the scene.

The accident caused a four-hour traffic jam along Ang Mo Kio Avenue 1 in the direction of the CTE.

Tipper truck driver Soh Choon Seng, 59, told reporters at the hospital that his truck had had its gearbox serviced just two days ago and he got it back yesterday.

He claimed that the brakes failed as he tried to slow down at the junction, causing him to plough into the car in front.

Mr Soh, who suffered injuries to his legs, said he had been doing about 30kmh while heading to a factory in Depot Lane, near Alexandra Road.

“I stepped and stepped on the brakes but (the truck) didn’t stop. It just kept going and going,” said Mr Soh, a heavy vehicle driver for 30 years.

Minibus driver Chua Mui Hong said that when he stopped at the red light, the truck slammed into the car behind him with enough force to propel the minibus about four car lengths into the middle of the junction.

The car ahead of him was sent spinning and ended up beside his bus, facing the wrong direction with its back smashed in.

Mr Chua said the passenger side of the car behind him was forced under his rear wheel.

When he walked around the vehicles to survey the damage, he did not see the motorcyclist at first.

“There was nobody on the ground. Then I looked up and saw his leg sticking out from between my bus and the truck,” said the 50-year-old, who was discharged with shoulder pains.

“He was clamped between the vehicles and hanging off the ground.”

Police received a call about the accident at about 9.50am. Investigations are ongoing.

The Straits Times understands that Mr Soh was arrested for causing death by a negligent act.