3-3-2025 (SINGAPORE) A catastrophic multi-vehicle collision on Nicoll Highway ended in tragedy yesterday when a Porsche driver perished in a fiery wreck following a high-speed crash involving five vehicles.
Emergency services rushed to the scene near the KPE entrance at approximately 2:10 PM after receiving multiple distress calls about a vehicle engulfed in flames. Despite swift response from the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF), firefighters were unable to save the driver, who remained trapped inside the burning luxury vehicle.
“The intensity of the fire made rescue attempts nearly impossible,” said transport safety expert Dr. Lim Wei Ming from the Singapore Road Safety Council, who reviewed dashcam footage of the incident. “In high-velocity impacts like this, fuel lines can rupture instantly, creating extremely dangerous conditions for both victims and rescuers.”
Dashcam recordings circulating on social media document the harrowing sequence of events. The dark blue Porsche can be seen traveling at excessive speed in the rightmost lane before losing control, breaching the road divider, and flipping onto its side. The vehicle continued sliding sideways at high velocity along the KPE slip road, colliding with multiple vehicles before erupting into flames upon impact with another road barrier.
One eyewitness, a 34-year-old passenger identified only as Mr. A, described the terrifying moments after impact. “Everything happened in a matter of seconds,” he recounted from his hospital bed. “We couldn’t open the back doors of our Grab car, so we climbed through to the driver’s seat to escape.”
In what Mr. A described as “traumatic” moments following the crash, his Grab driver and another motorist attempted to reach the Porsche driver. “He was screaming for help and knocking against his window, but they couldn’t help because the flames were too intense,” Mr. A explained, attributing his own survival partly to seatbelt use.
Two men aged 53 and 66 were transported to Tan Tock Seng Hospital. They remain in stable condition, according to hospital spokesperson Jasmine Tan. Five other individuals involved declined medical transport after assessment by SCDF paramedics.
This incident marks the third significant vehicle fire on Singapore roadways in less than two weeks. On February 27, a six-vehicle collision on the PIE near Paya Lebar resulted in two vehicles catching fire, though fortunately without casualties. On February 18, an electric vehicle ignited on the BKE, prompting the SCDF to issue public advisories about vehicle fire safety.
According to SCDF statistics, Singapore recorded 220 vehicle fires in 2024, a slight increase from 215 in 2023. Transport Ministry data indicates that high-speed collisions involving luxury sports cars represent approximately 8% of fatal accidents on Singapore roads, despite comprising less than 2% of registered vehicles.
The Land Transport Authority temporarily closed the Nicoll Highway entrance following the accident. Authorities continue investigating the cause of both the collision and subsequent fire, with preliminary findings expected within two weeks, according to a police spokesperson.
“This tragedy underscores the critical importance of adhering to posted speed limits, particularly on high-traffic thoroughfares like Nicoll Highway,” noted Senior Traffic Superintendent Rajesh Kumar. “Even a momentary lapse in judgment can have devastating consequences.”
Motorists are reminded that the SCDF recommends keeping fire extinguishers in vehicles as a safety precaution, particularly given the rising number of vehicle fires in recent years.
