Thursday, September 9, 2021

Driver, family escape as lightning strikes ground in front of car

Source Website: https://www.tnp.sg/news/singapore/driver-family-escape-lightning-strikes-ground-front-car
By Zaihan Mohamed Yusof, zaihan@sph.com.sg, Columnist, The New Paper, 25 August 2021 at 06:00 am


The lightning bolt sent bricks hurtling into the air and unsealed a manhole cover.
PHOTO: The lightning bolt sent bricks hurtling into the air and unsealed a manhole cover.
PHOTOS: FACEBOOK/SAM TAN, ZAIHAN MOHAMED YUSOF
Picture posted by Zaihan Mohamed Yusof, zaihan@sph.com.sg, Columnist, The New Paper on 25 August 2021 at 06:00 am
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDCQfUvD4dv1RYd82hZTJl9AWM3wA8WTH2RO6eRuL-PnfjeYpkFTfKF8riTJda-v8VPbqrx8do1lrDmmuVeOhEIyInC7ZUoM9W_wY2Nnv4waMSnP3LNt8d9gqNMKcGMe_6oraMYB6rjMU/s780/NP_20210825_ZYFIRE25_6795004.jpg
https://www.tnp.sg/sites/default/files/styles/rl780/public/articles/2021/08/25/NP_20210825_ZYFIRE25_6795004.jpg?itok=i06dSe9I
https://www.tnp.sg/news/singapore/driver-family-escape-lightning-strikes-ground-front-car


Mr Gabriel Tan had to contend with heavy rain - and an unexpected explosion - when he took his son to a childcare centre yesterday.

He was driving past a multistorey carpark in Bukit Batok West when he saw a lightning bolt strike the ground in front of his car.

"If I had accelerated, my car could have been struck (by the bolt) or hit by the flying bricks," Mr Tan, 34, an oil and gas trader, told The Straits Times.


The SCDF told The Straits Times that it received a call at 9.10am about a flash fire from a manhole at Block 439 Bukit Batok West.
PHOTO: The SCDF told The Straits Times that it received a call at 9.10am about a flash fire from a manhole at Block 439 Bukit Batok West.
ST PHOTO: ZAIHAN MOHAMED YUSOF
Picture posted by Zaihan Mohamed Yusof, The Straits Times on 25 August 2021 at 7:54 am
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxH5FpSNWAESyGhmCV9cCTegy0AkjVouRRTgDSAvJw1ExVeOEu4nSMMaTt8XioulHsSj6encsFH3qqId1ib8IEAjv5oYf-UQjRsiumOj-2GEN3d44h6x0NtkJn7MCocX1hyglTj2VVFIA/s860/rrscdfbukitbatok2408.jpg
https://static.straitstimes.com.sg/s3fs-public/styles/article_pictrure_780x520_/public/articles/2021/08/24/rrscdfbukitbatok2408.jpg?itok=EHLGj_rH&timestamp=1629813539
https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/driver-and-family-escape-lightning-bolt-and-explosion-in-bukit-batok-west


"Fortunately, we were all safe," he said, adding that he managed to stop the car in time.

The blast at the entrance of a carpark opposite Block 439B sent bricks hurtling skywards and unsealed a manhole cover.


The lightning bolt sent bricks hurtling into the air and unsealed a manhole cover.
PHOTO: The lightning bolt sent bricks hurtling into the air and unsealed a manhole cover.
PHOTOS: FACEBOOK/SAM TAN, ZAIHAN MOHAMED YUSOF
Picture posted by Zaihan Mohamed Yusof, zaihan@sph.com.sg, Columnist, The New Paper on 25 August 2021 at 06:00 am
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5qmFRkucF9ZTQiT1uU_QalnKpzNcRhUKnFL7rNq8ZJRCwwU9GUrrSjuWf7qc6NTf9qYBH7WqiV5cXGNPmZ25Sq2WoMjsms2gFi039-s8GRfPKT2dpHjxw9iyzkwsjzd1bt_DcKBn-9ec/s780/NP_20210825_ZYFIRE25OARX_6795045.jpg
https://www.tnp.sg/sites/default/files/styles/rl780/public/articles/2021/08/25/NP_20210825_ZYFIRE25OARX_6795045.jpg?itok=vHBoWh-x
https://www.tnp.sg/news/singapore/driver-family-escape-lightning-strikes-ground-front-car


The incident, captured on Mr Tan's dashboard camera at about 8.40am, has been shared multiple times on WhatsApp.

Mr Tan, who lives in the estate, said his wife, who works in the IT industry, and toddler son were in the rear passenger seats.

"The sound of the impact of the strike was not exceptionally loud because my son continued watching cartoons in the car without being distracted," he said.



Posted by Sam Tan on 24 August 2021 at 10:48 am
https://www.facebook.com/sam.tan.3956/videos/570096730703896/?t=11


Hong Kah North MP Amy Khor told ST she understands there are telecommunications cables beneath the manhole.

"The incident caught many residents by surprise this morning," she said.

She added that the presence of staff from agencies such as Chua Chu Kang Town Council, PUB, City Gas and Singtel assured residents that the incident was being investigated.

"For the residents' safety, I asked the relevant authorities to check the various manholes in the vicinity. Before I left the site this morning, the authorities had started barricading and inspecting several manholes."


The SCDF said the incident did not lead to a fire and there was no reported injury.
PHOTO: The SCDF said the incident did not lead to a fire and there was no reported injury.
Hong Kah North MP Amy Khor told ST "For the residents' safety, I asked the relevant authorities to check the various manholes in the vicinity. Before I left the site this morning, the authorities had started barricading and inspecting several manholes."
ST PHOTO: ZAIHAN MOHAMED YUSOF
Picture posted by Zaihan Mohamed Yusof, The Straits Times on 25 August 2021 at 7:54 am
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8lUaOsrWwucPGSDLnteuws2sky3pFB0E8xRfddfG3j_O0L16U3wJkodajLp3e7aWbNPEOTRpXP-XboAPh5AUDKaC72iZOtxNycITfqt0_XHu0t3NuektmKfA1MbDuBMvycABMjAiSmN8/s1280/rrbukitbatokbricks2408.jpg
https://static.straitstimes.com.sg/s3fs-public/articles/2021/08/24/rrbukitbatokbricks2408.jpg
https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/driver-and-family-escape-lightning-bolt-and-explosion-in-bukit-batok-west


Dr Khor, who is Senior Minister of State for Sustainability and the Environment and Transport, said the town council will start reinstatement works as soon as possible.

It has cordoned off the affected lane to the carpark.

The Singapore Civil Defence Force told ST it received a call at 9.10am about a flash fire from a manhole at Block 439 Bukit Batok West.


The Singapore Civil Defence Force told ST it received a call at 9.10am about a flash fire from a manhole at Block 439 Bukit Batok West.
PHOTO: The Singapore Civil Defence Force told ST it received a call at 9.10am about a flash fire from a manhole at Block 439 Bukit Batok West.
Picture posted by KanyeNorth, singaporeuncensored on 24 August 2021
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirMkjjkMm6qQb6mvVUMUnc5fYEwh9gtUfNytRpmlLFxYNgoPaGtGWETZHhze8SPgrVs9_LNY9K-hzTbzFfXF3vFm4vFfPiGy8HR1u729IohIrEcMt3hyphenhyphenFhNtW-kSvERpKlD_Ceyxjrk5I/s1200/Untitled-277.jpg
https://sucdn.sgp1.digitaloceanspaces.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/24104238/Untitled-277.jpg
https://singaporeuncensored.com/lightning-strikes-concrete-right-in-front-of-driver-turning-into-carpark/


It said the incident did not lead to a fire and there was no reported injury.

A spokesman said: "Preliminary investigations indicate that the incident is accidental in nature and investigations are ongoing."


Preliminary investigations indicate that the incident is accidental in nature and investigations are ongoing.
PHOTO: A spokesman said: "Preliminary investigations indicate that the incident is accidental in nature and investigations are ongoing."
Picture posted by Time and Space on 12 December 2012 at 10:51
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjkhU80mXcYRx7JQeF9z6OdjG4ImXRRATj6Yt5IEnFekvf0vl7HsPmvd-CcfSRGOIKMLSqaxUSnfMhVJTjm9dKUJS6JQEbfDpJhuOKagsKl9hF4L9t1JstpWKDtIRejP9dvU32TxsHVK8/s700/01.jpg
https://blog.daum.net/polarz/6169366


Somewhere else, sometime ago, on a highway, black ice is made lethal by the addition of speed and surprise. PHOTO: Somewhere else, sometime ago, on a highway, black ice is made lethal by the addition of speed and surprise.
Illustration by Erik T. Johnson
Picture posted by John Seabrook on 02 April 2018 - A car trip north ends in a terrifying slide off the highway.
By Zaihan Mohamed Yusof, zaihan@sph.com.sg, Columnist, The New Paper, 25 August 2021 at 06:00 am
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Reference
[1] Zaihan Mohamed Yusof, zaihan@sph.com.sg, Columnist, The New Paper, Driver, family escape as lightning strikes ground in front of car, posted on 25 August 2021 at 06:00 am, https://www.tnp.sg/news/singapore/driver-family-escape-lightning-strikes-ground-front-car


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