Rush-hour delay on NEL after student slips

Train services on the North East Line (NEL) were delayed for more than an hour yesterday, after a student's leg got trapped between the platform and train at Hougang MRT Station.

The student "slipped and caught her left leg in the 10cm gap" just before 8am, an SBS Transit spokesman said.

Tammy Tan, senior vice-president of corporate communications at NEL operator SBS Transit, said that staff and fellow commuters sprang to her aid and managed to pull her out after several minutes.

The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said it was alerted to the incident at about 7.50am, and dispatched a fire engine and ambulance.

The girl, who was wearing a beige school uniform, was taken to Tan Tock Seng Hospital. She was conscious and suffered bruising, The Straits Times understands.

Ms Tan said: "As a result of this incident, the train was held back at the station, causing service to be delayed on the line."

She added that public announcements were made to inform commuters about the delay. SBS Transit made no posts on social media about the disruption.

Large crowds gathered in Hougang Station during the delay, many uploading photos of the congestion to social media as late as 9.10am, more than an hour after the incident.

By about 9.30am, most of the crowds had dispersed.

The Straits Times understands that the 10cm gap is part of the design of the train system.

Without it, the train body may come into contact with the station's platform edge. Announcements at the train station remind commuters to "please mind the gap".

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