SINGAPORE - The crane that fell and crushed a van in Sengkang on April 9 has been removed from Punggol Road and traffic resumed at around noon the day after.
Residents told The Straits Times on April 10 the crane was removed at around 4am.
Information technology administrator John Ho, 56, said that at 3.15am, the crane had been put into an upright position, with the crushed van still on the road.
By around 5am, both vehicles had been removed, he said.
Another resident, Mr Anant Pradhan, 47, said he saw workers repaving the road at around 9am.
“They told me they were repairing the road as there was oil spillage from the accident,” said the information technology engineer.
All four lanes of Punggol Road near the junction of Compassvale Street had been blocked off after the incident as the fallen crane lay on its side, with its boom stretching across the width of the road and resting on the crushed van.
When ST arrived at 12.15pm, works on the road were ongoing, with two lanes cordoned off. By 2.30pm, traffic had resumed on all four lanes.
Although the stretch of road just before the junction of Compassvale Street was blocked off for several hours, residents said there was not much traffic congestion in the area.
A resident who wanted to be known only as Mr Tei, 26, who works in the insurance industry, said motorists like himself could make a detour to avoid the accident site.
A retired private-hire driver who wanted to be known only as Mr Lam, 67, said Compassvale LRT station was next to Compassvale estate, which made it easy for residents to travel without driving.
ST reported earlier that witnesses had seen the van’s driver jump out of his vehicle seconds before the crane from a nearby construction site fell on it and left it in a crumpled mess.
The police said the crane toppled when it was being manoeuvred up a trailer.
The van driver, a 28-year-old man, was injured but conscious when taken to Sengkang General Hospital. No one else was in the van.
The crane operator, a 49-year-old man, was arrested for negligent conduct.
A driver who was behind the van when the accident happened and gave his name only as Mr Mamz, had said the van was used to ferry children to school and the driver had dropped a child off just before the incident.
A PUB spokeswoman said a public sewer is under construction at the site of the accident and the contractor, Building Construction Co, will be helping the police and the Ministry of Manpower with investigations.
