Cement truck kills 2 boys at Tampines traffic junction

SINGAPORE: Two brothers died after they were hit by a cement truck near Dunman Secondary School, at Tampines Street 45.

The 56—year—old Singaporean driver has been arrested for causing death by rash act.

At around 6pm on Monday, the Singapore Civil Defence Force received a call for help.

But when paramedics arrived at the scene, both boys, aged seven and 13, were pronounced dead.

A MediaCorp hotline caller said that the incident happened only 50 metres from the school gates, and that he saw a smashed bicycle lying near the boys.

Speaking in Mandarin, he said it was an awful sight and very upsetting.

Some residents who live in the area say that the area where the incident happened sees a lot of traffic, and can be dangerous.

Mr Zoe Jaffar, who has lived in the area for 16 years, said: "The traffic lights change quite fast, sometimes drivers tend to speed up to beat the traffic lights."

Another resident in the area, teenager Tan Khai Feng added that people sometimes also cross the road even though the traffic lights have not indicated that it is safe for them to do so.

Resident Lim Heng Chew said: "This is a hotspot for traffic accidents... (another boy) recently got knocked down by a taxi — the boy is my son’s classmate."

He added that just a few months back, a Malay lady was also knocked down at the junction, and is worried because he has two school—going children.

— CNA/xq