Two dead, three injured in traffic accident at Causeway on Saturday morning

A 21-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene, and four others were injured after a traffic accident at the Woodlands Causeway, on June 30, 2018. PHOTOS: FACEBOOK/JHONSON GRACE SINNAPAN, BINBIN
A view of the Woodlands Causeway (towards Johor) at about 6.30am. A Facebook post by Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) at 2.30am said that a traffic accident had occurred at the Causeway. PHOTO: LAND TRANSPORT AUTHORITY

SINGAPORE - Two people died and three were injured in a traffic accident involving a trailer, lorry and three motorcycles at the Causeway on Saturday (June 30).

A 30-year-old trailer driver has been arrested for suspected drink driving, while a 23-year-old lorry driver, who was one of the injured, has been arrested for allegedly causing death by rash act.

The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said it received a call for an ambulance at 1am from Woodlands Causeway Bridge.

It dispatched three ambulances and one fire engine to the scene.

Paramedics pronounced one 21-year-old man dead at the scene, SCDF said.

In response to queries, a police spokesman said three men - a 23-year-old lorry driver, 37-year-old motorcyclist and 42-year-old motorcyclist - were sent to Khoo Teck Puat Hospital.

The 42-year-old motorcyclist was unconscious when he was sent to the hospital, and subsequently died from his injuries, added the spokesman.

According to the SCDF, a fourth man received minor abrasions and did not want to be taken to the hospital.

The Straits Times understands that all the men involved are Malaysians, apart from the 42-year-old motorcyclist, who is a Singapore permanent resident.

Police investigations are ongoing, said the spokesman.

The accident caused departure lanes at Woodlands checkpoint to be closed temporarily.

A Facebook post by Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) at 2.30am advised travellers to use Tuas checkpoint.

In an update at 4.55am, it said that two out of three departure lanes had reopened.

It advised travellers to check One Motoring website before embarking on their journey.

At 8am, some seven hours after SCDF received a call about the accident, ICA said that all departure gates had opened and normal operations at Woodlands checkpoint had resumed.

Photos and videos of the accident posted on social media showed a lorry crashing across the road divider and into traffic travelling in the opposite direction. Visuals of the aftermath of the accident also showed a string of motorcycles strewn along the road, with a motorcycle underneath a lorry.

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