Trailer accident on SLE causes oil spill, resulting in more accidents and highway closure
A trailer lost control and skidded along the SLE, causing an oil spill in the process and several other accidents as a result, early Saturday morning. Screengrab: Feroz Khan
SINGAPORE – Twelve people were conveyed to hospital following accident on the Seletar Expressway (SLE) that caused an oil spill early Saturday (July 8) morning.
A section of the SLE also had to be closed off to traffic for almost three hours.
Shortly after 7am, the driver of a trailer travelling along the left lane of the SLE (after Woodlands Ave 2) lost control of the vehicle, swerved to the extreme right lane and rammed into the road divider. Two motorcyclists travelling on the right lane managed to avoid colliding with the trailer, but skidded in the process due to wet road conditions.
The accident damaged the trailer’s fuel tank causing an oil spill, and police said a further nine motorcycles, four cars and a lorry were involved in subsequent accidents.
As a result, a portion of the expressway of the SLE towards Bukit Timah Expressway (BKE) had to be closed after the Woodlands Avenue 2 exit. The Land Transport authority tweeted about the road closure at about 10.30am. All lanes were reopened only at about 1.20pm.
A total of 12 casualties were conveyed to the Khoo Teck Phuat Hospital by eight Singapore Civil Defence ambulances. The condition of the casaulties is currently unknown.
Videos of the aftermath of the accidents showed the road littered with debris from the damaged vehicles, with several of them facing oncoming traffic.
The police said that the 34-year-old trailer driver is currently assisting in investigations.
