Woman trapped between train doors: Judge rules SBS Transit '100% responsible'

Doors closed on passenger's head and neck after she fell while trying to exit NEL train

- Selina Lum

North East Line operator SBS Transit has been found to be "100 per cent responsible" for an incident at Punggol MRT station, where the doors closed on a woman's head and neck after she tripped and fell while trying to exit the train.

The woman, Ms Ng Lai Ping, had filed a civil suit against SBS Transit for negligence over the June 27, 2022, incident.

She contended that she was trapped between the doors for 12 seconds, though SBS Transit presented CCTV footage to show that, at best, it was for one to two seconds.

In a judgment dated Aug 13, District Judge Sim Mei Ling found that SBS Transit had breached its duty of care to Ms Ng.

The trial will proceed to the next stage to determine whether the breach had caused the injuries allegedly suffered by Ms Ng and the quantum of any damages to be awarded.

SBS Transit has 14 days from the date of the judgment to file an appeal.

According to the judgment, Ms Ng had boarded a train at Sengkang MRT station, which was bound for Punggol MRT station, on the morning of June 27, 2022.

She had intended to ride the train back from Punggol MRT station to Little India MRT station.

Ms Ng claimed that when the train was travelling from Sengkang MRT station to Punggol MRT station, an announcement was played informing passengers that service had resumed.

She said that after the train arrived at Punggol MRT station, she remained seated in the carriage, waiting for the train to resume its journey.

There were five other passengers with her in the fifth carriage.

Ms Ng said she did not hear any shouting by staff instructing passengers to alight or see any staff member waving red light batons.

She said the lights in the carriage were suddenly switched off, leaving only the light above each door lit.