Three people were taken to hospital on Saturday, November 29, after a large tree branch collapsed onto several vehicles along the East Coast Parkway (ECP).
The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) and the police said that they were alerted at around 1.35 pm to an accident involving a trailer and five cars travelling towards the city, just before the Fort Road exit.
A 71-year-old male driver, his 32-year-old male passenger, and another 70-year-old motorist were taken conscious to Raffles Hospital. Two other people sustained minor injuries but declined to be taken to hospital.
In response to queries, the National Parks Board (NParks) said it was informed about a “tree branch snap” incident at about 2 pm.
Oh Cheow Sheng, NParks’ group director for streetscape, explained that a tall vehicle travelling in the first lane had struck a branch of a rain tree (Samanea saman), causing it to break and fall onto vehicles in the first two lanes. The fallen branch and debris were cleared by about 3.30 pm, and NParks said it is working with relevant agencies to assist those affected.
When The Straits Times arrived at the scene around 2.45 pm, several cars were parked along the rightmost lanes of the expressway, which had been cordoned off. Among them was a red multi-purpose vehicle that appeared to have borne the brunt of the impact.
A large branch was lodged in the front of its passenger cabin and protruding through the shattered windscreen. The roof was crumpled, and parts of the front bumper were torn away.
A white car nearby had also sustained major damage. Its bonnet was dented, the grille had come loose, and a broken branch was seen standing upright on the front passenger seat after smashing through the windscreen. The roof was partially folded, and the left-side doors were left ajar.
An online photo showed two other damaged cars a short distance behind the red vehicle, with another fallen branch blocking a lane next to them.
Investigations into the incident are still ongoing.
