Court finds SBS Transit negligent after woman got trapped between train doors during NEL service disruption

SINGAPORE: The Singapore courts have found SBS Transit negligent after a woman suffered head and neck injuries after being trapped between a train door and the platform gate on the North East Line.

According to a judgment released on LawNet, the incident took place at 10:34 a.m. on June 27, 2022.

The woman had boarded the North East Line at Sengkang MRT Station, planning to switch to Punggol MRT Station and then on to Little India MRT Station. She was seated in carriage number five at the time of the incident.

When the train arrived at Punggol station, the lights inside the carriage suddenly went out. At the same moment, she heard a beeping sound from the direction of the train door, which she believed signalled that the doors were closing. Five other passengers in the carriage quickly stood up and left the train. In a panic, the woman attempted to exit as well, but she fell and her head and neck became caught between the train door and the platform gate.

She later told the court that she had not heard any announcement informing passengers that train services would be suspended. She also claimed that no staff members were present to guide commuters out of the train at the time.

SBS Transit argued that it had made the necessary announcements. The company maintained that around 20 seconds after the train left Sengkang station, a broadcast was played in four languages instructing all passengers to alight at the next stop. According to SBS Transit, the announcement was repeated continuously at Punggol MRT Station.

The court found SBS Transit liable, ruling that the operator had failed in its duty of care and was fully responsible for the accident. The judgment concluded that the woman’s injuries were the result of negligence on the part of the operator.

A separate hearing will be held at a later date to determine the amount of compensation to be awarded.