As we honour 60 years of nationhood, some of the most powerful stories come from acts of compassion in crisis. On 27 May 2025, along Braddell Road near Bishan Flyover, tragedy struck—and with it came a moment that captured the true essence of modern Singapore.
Singaporeans Who Didn’t Hesitate
At about 2 pm, two lorries collided—one carrying gas cylinders—causing it to overturn and catch fire. Amid billowing smoke and growing chaos, dozens of ordinary Singaporeans stopped their cars and rushed in.
One man climbed atop the wreckage, trying to pry open jammed doors to reach the trapped driver. Others doused spot fires with a fire extinguisher retrieved from under the overturned lorry. They had no training or gear—only courage.
One bystander said later, “You don’t think. You just go.” That urgency, compassion, and action—it’s who we are.
When Good Deeds Meet Tragedy
Though the 36-year-old lorry driver was freed and brought to Tan Tock Seng Hospital, he later succumbed to his injuries. Two others involved—a 59‑year‑old driver and a 48‑year‑old passenger—survived and remained in the hospital for treatment.
The Singapore Civil Defence Force later confirmed the swift arrival of emergency services, but in those first critical minutes, it was the community that stood in the gap.
The Pulse of SG60: Ordinary People, Extraordinary Spirit
SG60 isn’t just about progress and prosperity—it asks: who have we become? On Braddell Road, the answer was unmistakable: a nation that runs towards tragedy, not away from it; a society where ordinary people act with extraordinary care when lives hang in the balance.
What Makes Us Singaporean
This story will not be remembered for titles or names. It will be remembered because it captures what we value most: courage, care, and commitment to one another—even when the person in need is a stranger.
Because in Singapore, we don’t just look out for each other. We show up. We step in. We act.
