2 dead after traffic accident involving car, bus at Woodlands junction

SINGAPORE — Two people have died from a traffic accident involving a car and a bus at the junction of Woodlands Avenue 9 and Woodlands Avenue 4 on Thursday (Sept 1) morning.

They are a 32-year-old male car driver who was pronounced dead at the scene by a paramedic from the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) and a 53-year-old female bus passenger who was taken to a hospital unconscious and later died, the police said in a statement on Thursday.

SCDF said that they were alerted to the accident at around 6.10am.

Pictures and videos circulating online of the accident showed a yellow car that had crashed into the side of a Tower Transit public bus, with the front of the car extensively damaged.

Although there is a child's car seat seen at the accident site near the car, TODAY understands that the driver was alone at the time and there were no children with him.

Two blue police tents can be seen beside the bus.

“A person was pronounced dead at the scene by an SCDF paramedic,” SCDF said, adding that nine other persons involved in the crash were taken to Khoo Teck Puat Hospital.

In a statement on the accident, bus operator Tower Transit said that it is deeply grieved to learn that one of its passengers had died in the hospital.

"We are seeking their next-of-kin to provide them with assistance and offer our condolences," it added. 

Tower Transit had earlier said that all eight passengers who were on board the bus during the accident and the bus driver were taken to the hospital.

“We are in the process of contacting them to check on their well-being and to assist with medical claims,” the operator said, adding that the bus driver is in a stable condition and will be relieved of all duties while a police investigation is being conducted.

“Tower Transit Singapore sends its deepest condolences to the family of the deceased. We would also like to thank the members of the public who rendered immediate assistance to our passengers and bus captain.”

Police investigations are ongoing.