Lorry collides with car and mounts kerb in Jalan Besar, sending two drivers to hospital
Two drivers were taken to hospital after a lorry-car collision in Jalan Besar sent the lorry crashing into the pathway of multiple shops, hitting awnings, plants, and a pillar.
According to Shin Min Daily News, the accident occurred around 4.20 pm on Nov 26 at the junction of Jalan Besar and Rowell Road.
Passing the junction at the time, 72-year-old Mr Lu (transliterated) said he witnessed two police cars and an ambulance arriving at the scene shortly after the collision.
Police cordoned off three shop entrances
Shin Min reporters spotted many onlookers gathering at a police cordon. The entrances of three affected shops — a beauty salon, a bathroom supplies store and part of a dim sum restaurant — had been blocked off.
The lorry had collided into the covered walkway in front of the salon and the restaurant. Its front left wheel was suspended in the air, with its rear left wheel hanging over the raised pavement, and the windscreen was completely shattered.
The car, which had stopped in the middle of the road, also sustained severe damage to its front left side, with its license plate dislodged and bonnet bent.
Eye witness spotted lorry speeding
Mr Xie (transliterated), a 62-year-old owner of a nearby hardware store, told Shin Min that he was crossing the road when he noticed the lorry driving at high speed.
"The pedestrian light was green and I had already crossed more than half the road when the lorry sped past right in front of me," he said.
He added that the white car had emerged from Rowell Road and turned into Jalan Besar when it was struck by the lorry, which skidded and crashed into the shopfront.
Authorities said the 35-year-old lorry driver and 42-year-old car driver were both conscious when conveyed to hospital.
The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) confirmed that one driver was taken to Tan Tock Seng Hospital, while the other was conveyed to Raffles Hospital.
Investigations are ongoing.
Lorry driver had chest and back pain
After the crash, the lorry driver got out of the vehicle on his own and looked visibly shaken. He later said his chest and back were hurting.
The hardware store owner's 57-year-old wife, Madam Xie (transliterated), said she heard a loud bang in the shop and only realised an accident had happened afterwards.
She then saw the lorry driver stepping out of his vehicle. "Our staff went to check on him. He said his chest and back were hurting."
Shops cordoned off for over three hours
Police cordoned off the affected area for nearly three and a half hours.
The lorry was only towed away around 8 pm, after which the cordon was lifted and dim sum shop employees began clearing broken flower pots.
A staff member at the beauty salon said no customers came while the entrance was blocked.
Dim sum restaurant manager Ms Chen (transliterated), 41, said their store's awning and two potted plants, as well as a pillar, were damaged.
She noted that customers usually wait at the covered walkway outside the restaurant to be seated. Fortunately, no one was there when the accident occurred.
