On the evening of December 29, at approximately 9 pm, chaos ensued at Boon Lay Bus Interchange as two buses, service 178 and 199, collided with each other, according to a report by Shin Min Daily News.
According to a Shin Min reader, an 18-year-old student named He, he had boarded a bus that had been stationary for an unusually long time. Upon finally moving forward, the reason for the delay became evident: a collision between two buses.
The Collision Details
Bus 199, operated by SBS Transit, and bus 178, managed by SMRT, were involved in the accident. The impact was significant, shattering the windshield of bus 199 and causing delays in multiple services.
Mr. He, who witnessed the aftermath, shared that bus 199 was fortunately empty at the time of the collision. However, bus 178, which had at least 20 passengers on board, including elderly and children, was in the process of leaving the interchange when the accident occurred.
Emergency Response
The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) reported that four passengers, all women between 40 and 77 years old, were sent to the hospital while conscious. The injuries sustained during the collision prompted the Singapore Police Force (SPF) to arrest a 56-year-old male bus captain for a negligent act causing hurt. Investigations are currently underway.
Transit Operators’ Responses
In response to the incident, SBS Transit clarified that their bus 199 was stationary at the boarding berth when it was hit by the other bus. Thankfully, no passengers were on board, and the driver escaped unharmed.
On the other hand, SMRT issued an apology for the unfortunate event involving their bus 178. According to a spokesperson, the bus was pulling out of the boarding berth when the collision transpired. Immediate action was taken to transfer the remaining passengers to another bus, and the company is actively supporting and assisting the injured passengers. SMRT is also cooperating with the police in their ongoing investigations.