After meeting my sister for lunch at Star Vista this afternoon, I decided to walk home as the weather looked pretty good. Walking along the lower level from the MRT towards the North Buona Vista and Commonwealth Ave junction, I noticed thick black smoke in the sky. “Must be a fire from the HDB block opposite…” I thought to myself. As I climbed up the stairs towards the street level, to my shock and horror I saw a fire across the road. It was a huge fire, with giant flames lashing at the sky emitting thick black smoke. A red Audi had stopped in front of the burning vehicle, and a bus was behind it. The Singapore Civil Defence #SCDF team arrived shortly. And within minutes, they had started to spray at the fire. Was it a terrorist attack? Was there an accident? What had happened?
I contemplated going closer to get a better look and investigate, and then “BANG!” a burst of fire with a loud explosion came from the burning vehicle.
The firefighters attacked the fire relentlessly with their hoses until the fire was put out. I applauded the firefighters in my heart. Crossing across to the scene of the incident, the driver of the red Audi explained that the burning car, which was a taxi, had rammed into his car. when he stopped and got out of his car to speak with the taxi driver, he noticed that there was smoke coming out of the taxi, and that the taxi driver had little sparks of fire on his hair and body. He had urged the taxi driver to get out of his car and called the ambulance and fire department.
Thankfully, only minor injuries were sustained by all parties. But, what a sobering moment. This could very well have been a terrorist attack similar to the recent ones in London and Europe where the terrorists had used their own vehicles as weapons of destruction. Aftr all, it would have been the right timing when many of the people who had attended any one of the numerous churches nearby were probably just returning home from lunch after church… It could be so random. And it could be any number of the people that I care for who could have been a victim. I left the scene rather shaken, and also grateful that our #SingaporeCivilDefenceForces had responded so promptly, and also thankful that no greater harm had befallen anyone.