Giant tree mutilates parked cars in Toa Payoh – not for the first time

A peaceful morning in Toa Payoh was interrupted yesterday by the sudden collapse of a giant tree that crushed numerous parked vehicles.

The 10-story tree fell at around 7am onto rows of cars and motorcycles parked in an open-air car park in front of Block 68 of Toa Payoh Lorong 5. No injuries were reported, but scenes of vehicular devastation spread online along with complaints about poor landscaping maintenance.

Facebook group SG Road Vigilante said 11 vehicles were damaged. Pictures of the aftermath showed one car with its front end completely totaled; its engine exposed. Fallen leaves and branches were also scattered across the car park.

Singapore Democratic Party chief Chee Soon Juan, who lives in the area, said at least four cars were damaged with one completely buried by fallen branches. He called on the area’s estate managers, the Bishan-Toa Payoh Town Council, and the national parks board to take action, especially since it was not the first time that falling trees have wreaked havoc in the neighborhood. 

“And this just happened at my place this morning. [The] entire tree cracked and collapsed on at least four cars and several motorcycles – one car was completely covered by the falling branches,” Chee said yesterday. 

“A couple of similar incidents have occurred in the neighbourhood. Bishan Toa Payoh Town Council and NParks should make greater effort to safeguard the public by checking the health of the trees,” he added.

Mohd Norman, whose motorcycle was crushed by the tree, said it was the second time it happened to him six months after his car windscreen was shattered by a fallen branch. He said he was on his way to work both times when he discovered his wrecked vehicles.

“Previously my car windscreen shattered because of a large branch that fell. Today this [happened between] 7:00am – 7:10am and now it [affected] my bike,” he wrote online yesterday.

Norman said he did not receive any compensation from the town council. The town council and the National Parks Board had not responded to messages from Coconuts seeking comment as of publication time.

“Twice happen to me in a span of 6 months. Why should I be paying for the damage to my vehicle when maintaining the trees are the responsibility of the town council[?]” he added.

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