Tower Transit apologises after 97-year-old woman in wheelchair falls and hits head, needs stitches

A 97-year-old woman suffered a head injury after her wheelchair toppled backwards on a Tower Transit bus, leaving her bleeding and requiring stitches.

The incident occurred on April 19 at around 4.20pm along Bukit Batok East Avenue 6, near Bukit Batok Swimming Complex.

Her daughter, 71-year-old Mdm Chong Siew Ming, said she had been travelling home on bus service 990 with her mother and their domestic helper. As Mdm Chong’s mother uses a wheelchair, the bus captain lowered the ramp to allow them to board.

After wheeling her mother onto the bus, Mdm Chong and the helper positioned the wheelchair in the designated area and locked its wheels before taking their seats.

“My mother was facing away from the bus door. The helper sat near her, while I sat further back,” she told Shin Min Daily News.

However, during the journey, the wheelchair began to move, sliding backwards twice.

At one point, the wheelchair tipped over completely, causing her mother to fall backwards and hit her head on the floor.

“She was bleeding profusely. Her white hair was stained red,” Mdm Chong said.

Several passengers rushed forward to help, with some assisting to lift her mother while others tried to stop the bleeding.

She added that the bus captain also rendered assistance immediately, and noted that he appeared to blame himself for the incident.

“He kept saying it was his fault — that he did not secure the wheelchair or guide us on how to position it properly (in the bus),” she said.

The bus captain then called for an ambulance, asked passengers to alight and reported the incident to the company.

The Singapore Civil Defence Force confirmed that one person was taken to Ng Teng Fong General Hospital.

Mdm Chong said her mother received four to five stitches and has since been discharged. She is currently recovering at home and her condition is improving.

Daughter admits lack of knowledge on proper wheelchair positioning on buses

In response to Shin Min’s queries, a Tower Transit spokesperson said, “The bus captain should have ensured that the passenger’s wheelchair was safely positioned before setting off.”

“We sincerely apologise to the passenger, her caregiver, and her family for the hurt and distress this has caused,” the spokesperson added, confirming that the company was in touch with the family to render assistance.

Mdm Chong said the bus company had initially indicated it would cover the medical expenses and provided insurance contact details, but follow-up has been slow.

“As we still need to bring my mother for follow-up appointments and take extra care of her, we hope to receive compensation if possible,” she said.

She also confessed that she was not aware of the proper way to position a wheelchair on a bus. “I later learned that the wheelchair should not face the door, but should face away from the driver and be properly secured,” she said.

Despite the ordeal, Mdm Chong was relieved her mother did not suffer more serious injuries.

“Elderly people are most afraid of falling. Thankfully, after checks, there was no internal bleeding in her brain, only external injuries. Otherwise, I would feel even more guilty. I will definitely be more careful in future.”

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