News

Traffic Marshal, 66, Crushed to Death by 10-Ton Road Roller

2025-03-04 , 4:03 pm

A horrific fatal accident occurred near a private housing estate in Carpmael Road, where a traffic marshal was crushed by a road roller weighing over 10 tons, killing him instantly.

Here’s what happened.

Accident Details

The tragic incident happened around 4:00 PM on Monday, 3 Mar 2025.

Shin Min Daily News was alerted about the accident, reporting that several police vehicles had arrived at the scene to investigate.

Upon arrival, reporters found that police had already cordoned off the area. A road roller was parked within the restricted zone, surrounded by at least three to four police cars.

A blue tent was set up in front of the road roller, covering the victim’s body.

A foreign worker who wished to remain anonymous told reporters that the deceased was his colleague, who was responsible for directing traffic for a road paving project scheduled for Tuesday.

“He was in his 60s. I’ve known him for about six months,” said the foreign worker.

The worker also revealed that the road roller involved weighed at least 10 tons and the victim suffered severe head injuries after being crushed.

An employee from the subcontractor company in charge of the project disclosed that the road roller was reversing at the time and likely didn’t see the victim crossing the road before running him over.

The police and Civil Defence Force confirmed that they received a report about an accident involving a road roller and a traffic marshal.

The 66-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene by the Civil Defence Force, and a 39-year-old road roller operator was arrested for causing death by negligence.

The case is still under investigation.

First Day of Road Works Ends in Tragedy

Nearby residents told reporters they had received notification letters from Singapore Power Group (SP Group) days earlier, stating that road paving work would be carried out on Monday and Tuesday, 3 and 4 Mar 2025.

One resident revealed that his mother was at home at the time and saw someone lying by the roadside.

Thinking someone had fainted, she quickly called the authorities.

“Later, the police told us to use the back door to enter and exit. We weren’t clear about what had happened,” said the resident.

When reporters revisited the scene on Tuesday morning, the road paving works had stopped, with water marks still visible on the road.

Workers revealed that the victim was responsible for directing traffic at the scene and had just finished his shift when the accident happened.

“The road roller operator probably didn’t see him and ran right over him. I was nearby and witnessed what happened,” said a foreign worker.

Still shaken, he described how the victim suffered severe head injuries, prompting him to call the police immediately.

“I left after calling the police. Just thinking about the horrible scene makes me feel terrible—I couldn’t even eat dinner. I’ve been working in road paving for 12 years, and this is the first time I’ve encountered such an incident.”

He also mentioned that the company manager and the victim’s family members later arrived at the scene.

Based on observations, a man wearing a helmet and face mask was seen speaking with police within the cordoned area. He was believed to be the road roller operator.

He looked bewildered and solemn before being taken away in a police car. Nearby residents expressed shock and sadness.

Many residents gathered outside the restricted area, discussing the situation.

Some residents said they never expected such an accident to happen in their community and felt deeply saddened.

“I saw several police cars outside in the afternoon, and later heard from neighbors that someone had been crushed by a road roller,” said one of the residents.

Road Section Sealed for Seven Hours

After the accident, police officers sealed off the road section for investigation.

The body was only removed by hearse around 10:00 PM, followed by the arrival of two tow trucks.

After the investigation concluded, workers responsible for road paving began cleaning the area and washing the road surface.

Close to 11:00 PM, several police officers remained at the scene.

Family’s Response

Family members of the deceased arrived at the morgue around 11:50 AM on Tuesday to claim the body, looking solemn.

The widow revealed in an interview that she would decide whether to pursue the matter further after everything was clarified.

She said she was still waiting for the investigation results and didn’t want to speculate about what happened.

Fighting back tears during the interview, she stated that her husband was a good person.

“He had been working in this job (as a traffic marshal) for several years and was always careful in his work.”

SP Group: Deepest Condolences to the Family

A spokesperson for Singapore Power Group (SP Group) indicated that the project was contracted to Mo Guan Construction Engineering Pte Ltd, with Asphalt Specialist Services Pte Ltd as the subcontractor.

“At 4:00 PM yesterday, we were notified by the contractor that an employee from the subcontractor had an accident on site, and authorities were immediately informed. Later we learned that the employee had died at the scene.”

The spokesperson expressed sadness about the incident and extended their deepest condolences to the family of the deceased employee.

“We are in contact with the contractor to provide any necessary support. Work at the site has been suspended.”