Posted on 20 July 2010 By Sona Remesh
Strong winds and heavy rains Tuesday afternoon claimed the life of one driver.
A 32-year old man was killed when a tree fell and crushed the car he was in, at the junction of Thomson Hills Drive and Yio Chu Kang Road.
The tree was uprooted at the base, dragging along some parts of the drain by the roadside.
The tree was removed at around 4.45pm.
The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said the car was badly damaged.
Rescuers took about 20 minutes to remove the victim's body with hydraulic spreader-cutters. The driver had suffered injuries to his spine.
Paramedics pronounced the victim dead at the scene. No one else was in the car
An NParks spokesperson said there were strong winds at the time of the accident.
According to NParks, the wind at the time of the accident today was as high as 65km/h.
The National Parks Board also added it will be inspecting other trees in the area - a move welcomed by residents.
One resident, businessman S L Chua, said: "It's sad (that) this incident has killed someone, I hope they have more stringent inspections and they look at the whole canopy of the tree. Because the canopy is so heavy, if its slanting to one side, sooner or later the whole tree will come down, especially with the strong and heavy winds nowadays."
CEO of NParks, Mr Ng Lang said the 35-40 year old raintree was last pruned in January, as part of routine pruning to reduce the weight of the crown.
He added that the tree was likely uprooted due to a weather phenomenon known as a microburst.
This is a localised, powerful descending air draft column that produces damaging winds at high speed, and is known to knock down fully grown trees.
"NParks is deeply saddened by this unfortunate incident. Our priority now is to extend assistance to the family of the deceased," he said.
In a separate incident, another tree fell at nearby Tagore Lane.
Police had to cordon off the section of Upper Thomson Road, after its junction with Yio Chu Kang Road.
No injuries were recorded.
Tuesday's incidents come after National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan said some 240 trees fell in June alone.
This is about 170 per cent higher compared to the same month last year, due largely to the adverse weather.
Mr Mah said this in a written reply to a query by MP Baey Yam Keng on Monday, July 19.
I was shocked when my friends was telling me about it during breakfast...Published on THE NEWPAPER was a man (at the scene of the fallen tree) shocked and staring at the car. My heart dropped when I see the baby chair and pram that is being brought out of the car by SCDF.
This so call ACT OF GOD took away a young father's life and also at the same time, the life of a husband. But is it really an Act of GOD? The rain tree is about 35 to 45 years of age, the roots to the ground should be very strong and deep into the ground...however, according to the witnesses who lives around the neighbourhood, they were concern about the "posture" of trees around the neighbourhood after the recent "storms". How can these trees be so fragile and lopsided? Shouldn't NParks be in charge of the "well being" of these trees? Why are trees that are lopsided not dealt with?
I really wonder how are the people affected by the recent floods etc...going to have their damages compensated.
