Tree Falls At Community Club In Ghim Moh & Injures 3 People, Incident Under Investigation

Tree Falls At Ulu Pandan Community Club In Ghim Moh, Trapping Two People Underneath

A tree has fallen at Ulu Pandan Community Club in Ghim Moh, injuring three people.

They were taken to hospital and are in stable condition.

The facts of the incident are now under investigation.

Tree falls in Ghim Moh on 20 Aug

The tree fell on Saturday (20 Aug) evening, reported Channel NewsAsia (CNA).

An alert was received by the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) at about 6pm, and they dispatched officers to 170 Ghim Moh Road, they told CNA.

That’s the address of Ulu Pandan Community Club.

Two people trapped underneath

When the SCDF arrived, they found two people trapped under the large tree.

A third person lay injured near the fallen tree.

According to Shin Min Daily News, the three people were passers-by who happened to be in the area when the tree fell.

SCDF conducts rescue operation

After making sure the fallen tree was stable, SCDF officers quickly began the rescue operation.

First, Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (DART) rescuers had to lower themselves down a steep slope.

Then, they had to pass through vegetation just to reach the two people who were trapped.

Cutting equipment was used to saw the tree.

K9 search dogs also searched the scene for other victims.

Victims sent to hospital

After the two people were freed, SCDF emergency medical specialists monitored their vital signs.

All three victims were sent in a “conscious and stable condition” to the nearby National University Hospital (NUH).

The nature of their injuries are still to be ascertained, Shin Min reported.

Incident under investigation

Another fact that’s still to be established is how the tree managed to fall suddenly.

No details have been revealed on how it ended up down the slope, either.

Ulu Pandan Community Club said only that they’re currently working to establish the facts of the incident, they told CNA.

The Straits Times (ST), however, reported that the tree is the African Mahogany, which can grow up to 60m tall, according to the National Parks Board (NParks).

Mr Christopher de Souza, an MP for Holland-Bukit Timah GRC, said the tree’s health will be assessed by a professional arborist.

In the meantime, he’ll visit the three injured passers-by in hospital, he told ST.

Previous cases of tree failure

This is, of course, not Singapore’s first instance of tree failure in recent years.

In Nov 2021, a 20m tree fell in Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park, narrowly missing a jogger.

20m Tree Falls In Bishan-AMK Park, Narrowly Misses Jogger

This was unfortunately preceded by the case of a tree that fell in Marsiling Park in Feb 2021, killing one woman.

Woman Passes Away After Tree Falls On Her At Marsiling Park, Site Cordoned Off For Investigation

In 2017, another woman passed away after a tree fell on her at the Botanic Gardens.

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Featured image adapted from Shin Min Daily News on Facebook and Google Maps.