'People tell me to buy 4D'

He was preparing to drive off and turn right into Jalan Anak Bukit when his taxi windshield was suddenly blocked.

He then heard the glass shatter.

A tree from the left side of the road at the exit of BKE/PIE heading towards the Jalan Anak Bukit cross junction had fallen on Mr Edwin Chang's blue Comfort taxi, with the crown of the tree covering his windshield.

The cabby sat in his seat, stunned.

Sitting in the rear of his cab, his female passenger too, was in a state of shock.

Mr Chang, 51,had picked up his passenger, a woman believed to be in her 20s, in Ang Mo Kio and was heading towards Bukit Batok Street 52 when the incident happened at around 12.10pm on Tuesday.

"I didn't know what to do. It wasn't even raining, yet the tree fell," he said.

The cars in front of him had driven off safely while the vehicles behind him were blocked by his taxi.

With the help of people in the vehicles behind him, Mr Chang and his passenger were able to get out of the car safely.

Both of them had to crawl out through the right back door of the car.

"I asked if she (passenger) was okay but she was tearing. She looked frightened," said Mr Chang.

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An SCDF spokesman said they received a call at 12.18pm and sent an ambulance to the scene.

But both Mr Chang and his passenger declined to be taken to the hospital, saying there was no need.

Mr Lam Kia Wei, an electrical manager at Quintec Technology was in the front seat of a lorry that was behind Mr Chang's vehicle.

Branches

"About 10 or more people helped clear the branches that were around the (Mr Chang's) car so that they (Mr Chang and passenger) could get out," the 32-year-old Malaysian said.

"We couldn't move (our vehicles) anywhere - not forward or backwards. I was scared that there were people hurt in the taxi."

Mr Lam said that they don't always take this road and was heading to the Jem mall in Jurong East to do work on the lighting.

They too were too stunned to do anything when they saw the tree falling.

Parts of the crown of the tree had also fallen on the front of the lorry, and they had to wait for the people from the vehicles behind them to help move the branches and leaves away before getting out to help Mr Chang.

Fortunately for Mr Chang, the tree had first crashed onto a lamp post before falling on his taxi.

"Lucky the lamp post saved me," said Mr Chang.

"People are also telling me to buy 4D, but being safe is enough."

Mr Chang, who has been a taxi driver for 12 years, shares his cab with a relief driver.

"(He) just got out of an accident himself and I only had the car for three weeks after the repairs were done," he said.

"I thought I could earn more money since it was a hot day. Now I have to send the car for repair again and wait another two to three weeks for it to be ready."

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