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On 24 March 2026 at about 5:50 a.m., as much of the city was still asleep, firefighters and paramedics from Paya Lebar Fire Station and Changi Fire Station, as well as rescuers from the Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (DART), were dispatched to a serious road traffic accident involving a heavy vehicle.
Arriving under the dim glow of streetlights, the team found the driver trapped within the heavily damaged cabin of the vehicle. They quickly assessed the situation and began a coordinated rescue operation.
SGT2 Ilhan Mansiz Bin Noh (back row, first from left) and CPL Mihaley Tey Kai Jie (front row, second from right) from Paya Lebar Fire Station recounted how firefighters, paramedics, and rescuers worked in tandem to rescue the trapped driver. PHOTO: SCDF
(From left) CPL Dannie Ashraf Bin Adri, WO1 Hardy Poh Hao En, WO1 Taufiqil Hafiz Bin Noordin, and CPL Adithya Sathiyaneshan Narikot from Changi Fire Station supported the rescue effort. PHOTO: CHANGI FIRE STATION
“As firefighters, we are trained to carry out rescues for road traffic accidents,” SGT2 Ilhan Mansiz Bin Noh said. “However, this incident was more challenging as it involved a heavy vehicle.”
“Standard sedan cars have a crumple zone between the driver and the hood, which acts as a buffer and absorbs the impact during a collision,” he explained. “In this case, the heavy vehicle’s cabin did not have a crumple zone at the front, resulting in direct impact.”
The elevated cabin of the vehicle was much higher than that of standard cars. This made it difficult for emergency responders to access the trapped driver.
“The driver was pinned against the dashboard, so we had to determine the safest and quickest approach to rescue him,” CPL Mihaley Tey Kai Jie shared.
DART Specialists used hydraulic rescue equipment to free the trapped driver. PHOTO: SCDF
With assistance from firefighters who are cross-trained as Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs), SGT2 Nur Nadia Bte Bamadhaj Naser, a paramedic, gained access to the trapped driver and assessed his injuries, while SGT2 Muhammad Syahmi Hadi Bin Sanip and PTE Amir Hamzah Bin Mohamed Fauzi attended to two other passengers with minor injuries.
“Our priority was to stabilise the trapped driver and monitor his vital signs,” SGT2 Nadia said.
“We delegated roles. Those of us cross-trained as EMTs rendered medical assistance, while others set up lighting for visibility and organised rescue equipment at a designated area,” SGT2 Ilhan said.
Meanwhile, DART Specialists quickly determined the access points they would need to extricate the trapped driver.
(Back row, from left) DART Specialists WO1 Muhammad Shafi’i Bin Rahmat, LTA Ngui Hook Siong, CPT Scott Chong Yee Kiat, and WO1 Sharul’izam Bin Oshman; (Front row, from left) SGT3 Muhammad Zayyani Bin Shamsuddin, SGT3 Muhammad Hazli Bin Muhammad Nuruddin, and WO1 Zahrul Bahri Bin Mohd Zainudin; as well as WO1 Muhammad Fadly Bin Abdul Hamid (not in photo) worked in sync throughout the rescue operation. PHOTO: SCDF
“The front portion of the cabin had caved in, and the driver’s side door was badly damaged,” SGT3 Muhammad Hazli Bin Muhammad Nuruddin said.
“One team worked from the driver’s side, while another accessed from the passenger’s side,” LTA Ngui Hook Siong added.
During the rescue, DART Specialists constantly reassured the driver. PHOTO: SCDF
“Using hydraulic rescue equipment, we removed the door and pushed the dashboard forward to create more space within the cabin. This additional space helped us to free the trapped driver,” WO1 Sharul’izam Bin Oshman explained.
To support the rescue effort, firefighters stabilised the working area for rescuers working at height. They also promptly removed debris from the work zone to reduce hazards for the rescue team.
“Our crew split up to support DART at each point. Every action had to be carried out quickly and safely as we were working within time constraints to prevent the patient’s condition from deteriorating,” SGT2 Ilhan said.
Firefighters from Paya Lebar Fire Station and Changi Fire Station supported DART Specialists throughout the rescue operation. PHOTO: SCDF
DART Specialists carefully created space in the damaged vehicle to free the driver. PHOTO: SCDF
Throughout the operation, rescuers constantly talked to the trapped driver to monitor his responsiveness and provide reassurance.
Once sufficient space had been created, the team carefully extricated the driver and handed him over to the paramedics for treatment and conveyance to the hospital.
Paramedics stabilised the driver and conveyed him to the hospital. PHOTO: SCDF
“En route to the hospital, we updated the hospital’s medical team on the patient’s condition, so that they could prepare for his arrival,” SGT2 Syahmi said.
(From left) SGT2 Muhammad Syahmi Hadi Bin Sanip, SGT2 Nur Nadia Bte Bamadhaj Naser, and PTE Amir Hamzah Bin Mohamed Fauzi from Paya Lebar Fire Station attended to the casualties and conveyed them to the hospital. PHOTO: SCDF
For the emergency responders, the incident stood out for both its complexity and the level of coordination required.
“This operation was more complex as it involved a heavy vehicle with an elevated cabin. Thanks to the excellent teamwork and coordination shown by all emergency responders, we managed to carry out the rescue,” CPT Scott Chong Yee Kiat said.
SGT2 Ilhan Mansiz Bin Noh (left) and CPL Mihaley Tey Kai Jie reflected on their experience, sharing how teamwork and composure were key in managing the challenging situation. PHOTO: SCDF
Reflecting on the incident, CPL Mihaley said, “In such situations, it is important to remain calm and focused. I usually ask myself, ‘what is the best thing I can do to save the person's life?’.”
For SGT2 Ilhan, the successful rescue has motivated him to continue giving his best every duty.
“I find it especially meaningful to help people during the most difficult moments of their lives,” SGT2 Ilhan said. “In the fire station, we train together, respond together, and rely on one another. That camaraderie is what makes the work fulfilling.”