SINGAPORE/KUALA LUMPUR: A passenger who fell onto the railway track at the Woodlands train checkpoint in Singapore at 5.35 am on Wednesday was sent to a nearby hospital for medical examination and treatment.
Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB), in a statement ton Saturday (July 8), said the passenger was promptly rescued by KTMB crew members and officers from the Singapore Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA).
According to investigations, the incident occurred when the passenger tried to disembark from the Tebrau Shuttle train before it had come to a complete stop. To ensure passenger safety, KTMB strongly advises all passengers to remain seated until the train has come to a complete stop. KTMB regrets the incident and is committed to continuously improving its services and ensuring a safe and pleasant journey for all passengers.
KTMB also reminds passengers to pay attention to and comply with safety notices displayed at each train entrance and station.
The Tebrau Shuttle train coaches are designed and built in full compliance with safety standards. Each coach is equipped with side swing doors that can be manually opened or locked from the inside as a safety feature for passengers to exit the coaches in case of emergencies.
Responding to media inquiries, an Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) spokesperson reported that the passenger, a woman, tripped and fell into the gap between the platform and the train at around 5.35 am on Wednesday. She sustained injuries to her knee and left elbow.
An ICA officer, who was on duty conducting checks on the train, witnessed the incident and, with the help of several fellow travelers, pulled her up from the train tracks.
The spokesperson mentioned that the design of the Keretapi Tanah Melayu (KTM) train allows passengers to open the doors from inside the carriage and disembark onto the platform before the train comes to a stop. ICA will address this matter with the train operator to implement necessary safeguards and remind travelers to only disembark from the train after it has come to a complete stop for their own safety.
The injured traveler was conscious and immediately taken to the hospital for further medical attention.
A fellow traveler, Erene Hew, who witnessed the incident, posted on Facebook claiming that the woman was among those rushing to get to the checkpoint before others.
In an effort to streamline the process, the clearance time at Woodlands Train Checkpoint was reduced to 15 minutes for passengers from each train with the addition of 10 automated immigration kiosks.
During peak travel periods, the Woodlands Train Checkpoint clears more than 30 train trips and nearly 10,000 passengers daily. – Bernama/The Straits Times
Credit: The Star : News Feed
