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SINGAPORE: Seven people have been warded in hospital after a collision between two buses along Jalan Jurong Kechil near Bukit Batok on Friday (May 11) morning left more than 30 injured.



Pictures posted online showed that a SBS Transit bus on the 157 service had collided into a stationary SMRT bus on the 970 service at a bus stop. Both buses were seen to have extensive damage.

SMRT added that their bus captain was also among those injured.

"I heard a big bang and I saw passengers roll over the floor," said Linie Gabas Sajonia, 46, who was on the SBS Transit bus.

"I saw blood on the floor and the passengers were crying."



She added: "Some passengers in the bus couldn't walk and were totally injured."

The SBS Transit bus was seen to have mounted the kerb and hit a bollard. The windshield of the bus was badly shattered and shards of glass were seen strewn on the road.

The front of the of the bus was also damaged, with parts that had dislodged itself from the bus.

Similarly, the back of the SMRT bus was dented with the back window fully shattered. The lights at the back of the bus had also become dislodged.

MORE THAN 30 INJURED

SBS Transit said in a statement on Friday morning that 33 people from the two buses were conveyed to three hospitals after the SBS bus collided into the SMRT bus at about 9.05am.

The police were alerted to the accident, as were the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF).

Fourteen injured passengers were taken to Ng Teng Fong General Hospital, another 14 to the National University Hospital and five to Tan Tock Seng Hospital, added SCDF.

Seven people have been warded in hospital, said Ms Tammy Tan, senior vice president of corporate communications at SBS Transit, in an update at about 6.30pm.

The number of injured was also increased to 34 from 33.

"Of the 34 who were conveyed to hospital, 24 received outpatient treatment while seven are warded," she said.

The remaining three are waiting to complete their medical assessments.

She added that SBS Transit was in contact with most of the injured and will continue to try to get in touch with the rest.

SBS TRANSIT AND SMRT APOLOGISE

Both bus companies apologised for the incident and added that they are assisting injured passengers.

"Our immediate priority is the well-being of our passengers and staff who were aboard our bus," said SMRT's vice president for corporate communications Margaret Teo.

"Our CARE team is reaching out to them to render assistance.

"We would also like to apologise to affected passengers who were inconvenienced by this morning's accident. Meanwhile, we are assisting the police in their investigations.”

SBS Transit's Ms Tan said the company has sent five communications teams to hospitals to render assistance to the injured.

"We are very sorry that this has happened and our priority now is the well-being of all injured passengers," she said. "We are also assisting the police and LTA in their investigations."

"We will continue to monitor their progress and be on hand to help as much as we can. We are deeply apologetic for the distress and inconvenience caused," she said.

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) takes a serious view of the accident and have emphasised to the bus operators that safety is of "paramount importance", it said in a statement.

"We are working closely with Police, SBS Transit and SMRT to investigate the incident. We have also sent a team of care officers to the three hospitals to render assistance to the injured," LTA said.