Two sisters among six Filipino victims in Lucky Plaza car crash: Philippine Embassy official
30 December, 2019
The two people killed and four injured in a car crash at Lucky Plaza on Sunday (Dec 29) are Filipinos working in Singapore, the Philippine Embassy confirmed in a statement on Monday.
It added that the victims' families in the Philippines have been informed.
One of the victims who died and another, who is critically injured, are sisters, Philippine Embassy charge d'affaires Adrian Bernie Candolada told CNA.
“So far, one family of the deceased is seeking help to be able to travel to Singapore to see their loved one at the hospital. We have already conveyed their request to our home office in Manila,” he said.
The Centre for Domestic Employees (CDE) said in a Facebook post on Sunday that the six victims are foreign domestic workers.
On Monday, CDE's chairman Yeo Guat Kwang said they have managed to establish contact with some of the employers.
They have made the necessary arrangements for the injured, such as working with the hospital to ensure they have medical treatment and checking if the employers need help with medical expenses.
Emergency services were called to Lucky Plaza at about 5pm on Sunday after reports of an incident involving a car and six female pedestrians aged between 37 and 56.
Two of the pedestrians, aged 41 and 50, were unconscious when taken to Tan Tock Seng Hospital, and they later died from their injuries.
The four other pedestrians were conscious when they were taken to hospital.
The embassy is coordinating with the employers of the victims on plans to have their bodies repatriated to the Philippines, the embassy official added.
"The Philippine Embassy in Singapore and the Filipino Community in Singapore are deeply saddened by the death of two Filipinos and injury to the four other Filipinos during the tragic accident at Lucky Plaza Mall yesterday (Dec 29)," the embassy's statement read.
"The Embassy, Singapore Police Force and hospital authorities have cooperated to identify the six Filipino victims, who are all working in Singapore.
"The Philippine Embassy in Singapore and the Department of Foreign Affairs in Manila are fully committed to extend support and assistance to the victims' families," the statement added.
DRIVER ARRESTED
A 64-year-old male driver was arrested on Sunday for dangerous driving causing death, police said. He is a driver-partner with ride-hailing firm Grab and he has been suspended while investigations are underway.
“We are deeply saddened to hear about the accident and are assisting the authorities in the investigation," a Grab spokesperson said.
Members of the public have also come forward with offers of donations, a spokesperson from the Humanitarian Organization for Migration Economics (HOME) told CNA.
"We will be giving these donations to the family of the deceased through our volunteer."
The organisation said it has opened a channel through its Facebook page for members to donate for the victims' families. CDE said it is also planning to set up a donation channel.
Lucky Plaza is known to be a popular gathering place for Filipino foreign domestic workers on their days off on Sundays.
Videos circulating online also show that many were in the immediate vicinity of the accident.
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