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Taxi explodes near Buona Vista MRT station, 4 injured

SCDF officers putting out the blaze after a Trans-Cab taxi caught fire along Commonwealth Avenue. (PHOTO: Facebook page of Red Seo Hong Heng)
SCDF officers putting out the blaze after a Trans-Cab taxi caught fire along Commonwealth Avenue. (PHOTO: Facebook page of Red Seo Hong Heng)

*UPDATED at 5.20pm on 30 April 2017 to include police statement on the incident

Four people were injured when a Trans-Cab taxi caught fire and exploded along Commonwealth Avenue, close to Buona Vista MRT station, on Sunday (30 April) afternoon.

Police were alerted to a traffic accident in the area at 2.15pm involving a taxi and a car, said the Singapore Police Force (SPF) in a Facebook post.

“The taxi subsequently caught fire and there was an explosion. Four men suffered minor burn injuries and were conveyed to the National University Hospital, including an SCDF officer,” said the SPF in its post.

The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said in a Facebook post that it sent one fire engine, two fire bikes, one Red Rhino and two ambulances to the location.

“Preliminary investigations by the SCDF and the Police revealed the likely cause of the explosion was due to the road traffic accident,” said SCDF in its post, adding that investigations are ongoing.

Multiple social media posts by eyewitnesses showed the vehicle ablaze and SCDF officers working to put out the fire. One video appeared to show an SCDF officer getting caught in the fireball as the taxi exploded.

At 2.46pm, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) tweeted that there was an accident along Commonwealth Avenue, stating that the street was closed “after Tanglin Halt Road”.