Boy dies after being trapped under bus tyre
Six-year-old dashes ahead of mother while crossing road and was hit by SMRT bus, leaving him trapped under right rear wheel
A six-year-old boy was pinned under the rear wheel of an SMRT bus after an accident at Choa Chu Kang Avenue 5 yesterday morning.
The boy, who had multiple injuries, died after he was taken unconscious to the National University Hospital.
The New Paper understands that he was crossing the road with his mother in front of Block 485D when he suddenly dashed ahead and was hit by the SMRT service 983 bus.
Witnesses said the mother was seen standing near the bus after the tragedy. She seemed to be in a state of shock while being comforted by a group of people and police officers.
When TNP arrived at 10.20am, a cordon had been set up around the bus.
Two police motorcycles, a patrol car and a police truck were at the scene, along with about 10 SMRT personnel.
A local resident, Mr Salleh, 69, told TNP that he was in his flat in Block 486 when he heard a bang and a woman screaming.
The retiree, who goes by one name, said he looked down from his 14th-storey corridor and saw a bus surrounded by a crowd of people.
When he went down, he was shocked to see a small boy pinned under the vehicle.
Mr Salleh said: "The boy was writhing in pain. There was blood on the right rear tyre."
The police said they were alerted to the accident involving a bus and a pedestrian in Choa Chu Kang Avenue 5, in the direction of Choa Chu Kang Avenue 4, at 9.05am.
The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said lifting equipment was used to rescue the boy who was trapped under the bus.
A Singapore Civil Defence Force spokesman said: "He sustained serious injuries and was taken unconscious to the National University Hospital."
A police spokesman urged the public to not circulate images and videos of the victim at the accident scene out of respect for his family.
The spokesman said the bus driver, a 57-year-old man, was assisting the police with investigations.
Ms Margaret Teo, SMRT's vice-president for corporate communications, said the company was sorry and sad about the accident.
She said: "Our care team has reached out to the boy's family at the hospital to provide support and assistance." SMRT is also assisting the police in their investigations, she added.
A resident, who wanted to be known only as Mr Nizam, called TNP after passing the accident scene. He said: "I wanted to raise the issue of road safety among children because it can be very dangerous for them when they cross the road."
Ms Visha Seth, who teaches at the Star-Tots playgroup at the foot of Block 486, said she was riding her bicycle to workwhen she saw a man crying at the scene.
"He cried when someone from the ambulance told him about the boy," added Ms Visha, who is in her 30s.
A friend of the victim's mother told Chinese-language daily Lianhe Wanbao that the mother was taking him to a tuition class with another parent and her daughter when the accident happened.
Shin Min Daily News reported the boy's mother was pregnant and had to be taken to hospital after fainting.
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