4 arrested after Bukit Timah accident involving school bus ferrying ACS kids; 2 children taken to hospital
Police say the car caught fire when it crashed and the driver was arrested for failing to provide a breath specimen.
SINGAPORE: A car driver and his three passengers were arrested on Wednesday (Mar 6) after a major accident along Bukit Timah Road that also involved a school bus.
Two children from Anglo-Chinese School (Junior) were among the six people taken to hospital.
The police said they were alerted to the incident at about 6am.
The car caught fire when it crashed, the police said, adding that its officers pulled two passengers - a 27-year-old man and a 32-year-old woman - to safety.
"A 26-year-old male car driver was arrested for failing to provide (a) breath specimen," the police said.
Another man in the car, aged 22, was arrested for traffic-related offences along with the other two passengers.
The four people in the car were taken to hospital. The other two taken to hospital were children from the school bus, aged eight and nine. Police said all of them were conscious.
Police investigations are ongoing.
Photos and videos of the incident, which occurred just after Sixth Avenue, showed the car in flames near a fallen lamp-post.
The white school bus was missing both its front wheels. The wheels, still connected to the vehicle's axle, were seen a short distance away.
The bus' windscreen was smashed and debris, including what appeared to be books, was strewn across the road.
The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said it was alerted to the incident at about 6.20am. Besides the six people who were taken to National University Hospital, another person with minor injuries did not want to be taken to hospital.
In response to CNA's queries, ACS (Junior) principal Cheryl Chee said that there were four students on the bus when the accident happened.
Two were taken home by their parents after being assessed by paramedics and two were taken to hospital with minor injuries.
The two students have since been discharged.
In a letter sent to parents that was seen by CNA, Ms Chee said the boys and the bus driver are well and resting at home.
"The school is in contact with the affected students and their parents," she added.
"Our teachers will continue to monitor their well-being and provide them with the necessary support."
She urged parents to "avoid any speculation" as the matter is currently under police investigation.
"BURNT BEYOND RECOGNITION"
An eyewitness who wanted to be known as Mr Ang told CNA that he heard an "extremely thunderous sound" at about 6.05am from his home at Royalgreen condominium.
It was "like huge metal crashing into the ground", he said, adding that the accident happened along Bukit Timah Road near a U-turn after Anamalai Avenue.
"I peered out of the balcony and realised the accident was very serious. I saw several primary school students ushered out of the school bus in the aftermath too," the retiree recounted. He said the students appeared to be all boys.
Several explosions were heard after the car caught fire and "a lamp-post was wrecked", he said, adding that traffic was still congested at about 10.45am.
"One car was burnt beyond recognition."
Another eyewitness, who did not want to be named, said all five lanes were closed except one when he drove past the scene at about 8.45am. He described seeing a "burnt-out car".
There was a heavy police presence when CNA arrived at the scene at about 10.20am.
A headlight was spotted several metres away from the charred car, which was towed away at about 12.45pm.
Workers were preparing to tow the bus at about 1pm. There was a slight jam at the time, with only one lane accessible for an approximately 100m stretch.
The accident disrupted peak-hour traffic. It caused a tailback that stretched several kilometres to Kheam Hock Road, according to the Land Transport Authority which alerted motorists to the congestion in a post on X at about 8.45am.
SBS Transit said in a Facebook post at about 9am that bus services 74, 151, 154, 156, 157, 170, 174 and 852 were delayed along Bukit Timah Road (towards Clementi Road) due to an accident.
Cna. (2024b, March 6). 4 arrested after Bukit Timah accident involving school bus ferrying ACS kids; 2 children taken to hospital. CNA. https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/bukit-timah-accident-school-bus-car-fire-driver-passengers-arrested-4174361