Trapped in cab, he was texting loved ones

His face and hand.

That was all the National University Hospital (NUH) medical team could see of trapped taxi passenger Vincent Ng Say Ho. "He had his mobile phone with him and he was still texting his loved ones," said the emergency doctor, who declined to be named, citing that the rescue was "a team effort".

NUH sent the doctor with two emergency-trained nurses to the accident site on the Ayer Rajah Expressway towards Tuas near the Tuas West Exit, to help stabilise the victim.

The doctor told The New Paper that when the team arrived at about 9.50am on Wednesday, the taxi was "near totalled".

"The scene looked potentially chaotic, but the SCDF (Singapore Civil Defence Force) officers had things under control. "This was the first time I saw how they worked and I was really impressed," he said.

"By the time we (the medical team) got there, the driver (Mr Ng Kim Beng) had already been pulled out of the wreckage and was on his way to the hospital."

WORKED TOGETHER

The doctor said the SCDF's Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team, firefighters and paramedics worked side by side to extricate the passenger, Mr Ng.

"They meticulously took the car apart, piece by piece, to pull him out. They took their time and there was no rushed decision to lift the truck.

"The paramedics kept the victim calm, talking to him continuously to ensure he stayed conscious throughout until we took over."

The doctor said credit should also go to Mr Ng himself, who "remained calm to facilitate the SCDF's work".

The medical team administered painkillers to Mr Ng and made sure he was hydrated with an intravenous drip before he was extricated. "Then we ensured he was properly transferred onto the stretcher and taken to NUH," he said.

"Full credit should definitely go to the guys from SCDF. They were the heroes, managing the scene and despite everything, got both the cabby and the passenger out safely."

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