This photo does not refer to the scene of the accident.
In a terrible accident that have even caught the attention of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, the tragic case of 2 young brothers who died in a road accident at Tampines have gripped headlines on all kinds of media outlets. Photos of the accident have been circulating online and have even gone viral on the internet. Here is the lowdown on this tragic case.
Terrible accident
According to a report published on the straitstimes website, two brothers aged 13 and 7 died after they were hit by a cement truck near Dunman Secondary School. The unfortunate accident occurred at the junction of Tampines Avenue 9 and Tampines Street 45 while the older boy was giving his brother a lift on his bicycle. They were pronounced dead by the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) that arrived shortly later. The accident occurred around 540pm according to a report on the Stomp website. The SCDF was reportedly informed about the accident through a phone call at 543pm. The driver was arrested at the scene of the accident and is allegedly a 56-year-old male Singapore driver who was wearing yellow construction boots and hat. He is reportedly being charged with causing death by a rash act.
Devastated family
Understandably, the family of the 2 young victims are utterly devastated. According to a report by the New Paper, a middle aged woman believed to be the mother of the two boys was apparently spotted at the scene of the accident wailing uncontrollably to the point where she lost consciousness. A report published on the todayonline website stated that the family of the 2 victims are receiving a lot of help and support from their relatives, friends and even SAF counsellor. A straits times report has identified the parents as Suliani Ang, 38 and 39-year-old Frances Yap who are the mother and father of the boys respectively. The younger boy was identified as 7-year-old Donovan Yap.
The New Paper identified the older boy as 13-year-old Nigel Yap who was formerly a student at Tampines North Primary school before progressing to Springfield Secondary School. Nigel was described as a cheerful boy by his classmates at Springfield Secondary School. MP for Tampines GRC Mr Baey Yam Keng told reporters that “I heard from the grandmother that they are very sensible kids, that’s why they are okay for the elder brother to fetch his younger brother home.” Mr Baey was seen at the scene of the accident at around 1045am earlier in the morning today.
Flooded with condolence messages
The tragic accident has apparently tugged at the heartstrings of Singaporeans, many who expressed their condolences and grief through online portals. ‘Tampines’ was trending on popular social networking website Twitter today and many twitter users were sending condolence messages to the distraught family of Nigel and his brother. Many netizens were also expressing outrage at the photos of the accident which were circulating online.
Screen shot taken from Twitter
Apart from netizens, high profile public figures also expressed their grief over the accident. Tampines GRC MP Mr Baey Yam Keng as well as Education Minister Heng Swee Keat urged netizens to stop circulating the accident photos online. Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong also posted a Facebook post about the accident and it has received more than 8000 likes and 300 shares thus far.
Screen shot taken from Lee Hsien Loong’s FB page.
5 cycling tips
In response to the accident, Education Minister Mr Heng stated that more will be done to enhance road safety. This includes collaborations with the police and Land Transport Authority as well as more road safety education. We have also provided 5 cycling safety tips from an article published on the guardian website to hopefully help prevent such accidents from happening again.
1. Remain vigilant
The road can be a dangerous place especially for a cyclist. Remain vigilant of your surroundings and watch out for vehicles and pedestrians at all times.
2. Bike maintaneance
Ensure that your bicycle is road worthy. Make sure that your brakes are functioning well and check your tyre pressure. Do not ignore any signs such as vibrations or noises which might indicate a faulty bike.
3. Communicate effectively
Ensure that other motorists are clear about your intentions. Use hand signals to let others know when your are turning.
4. Be aware of large vehicles
Maintain a safe distance away from large vehicles. Drivers of large vehicles might not be able to notice your presence.
5. Wear safety gear
Wear a helmet and all other necessary safety gear as a safety precaution.