Four including SCDF officer injured after taxi explodes

A Trans-Cab taxi exploded on Commonwealth Avenue opposite Buona Vista MRT station on Sunday (April 30) afternoon.

Four men, including a Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) officer, were injured.

Preliminary investigations by the SCDF and the Police revealed that the likely cause of the explosion was a road traffic accident that had happened several minutes before. 

Police said that they were alerted at about 2.15pm to a traffic accident involving a taxi and a car.

The taxi subsequently caught fire. It then exploded.

Videos of the incident show two SCDF officers approaching the blaze trying to douse the flames when the large explosion occurs.

Both officers are seen caught in the blast.

In a statement on Facebook, SCDF said four men including an SCDF officer suffered minor burn injuries, and were taken to the National University Hospital.

An update on Sunday evening thanked the public for their concern over the officer's well-being and that the officer had been discharged from hospital.

Eyewitness Kuek Jia Jun told The Straits Times that the taxi exploded at around 2.30pm.

"I came out of the (Buona Vista) MRT station, and saw a Red Rhino trying to get to the scene," said Mr Kuek, a 25-year-old student.

Seconds after, he heard the "fairly big" explosion, adding that there was "a lot of smoke".

He said that when he left the scene at 2.40pm, firemen were still pumping water into the bonnet of the taxi, a Toyota Wish.

SCDF dispatched a fire engine, two fire bikes, one Red Rhino and two ambulances. 

The fire was eventially extinguished using two water jets and a compressed air foam backpack.

Mr Kuek spotted a man near the scene who looked as though he might be the driver of the taxi. He appeared to have burns on his body.

"He seemed to be in shock," said Mr Kuek. "He kept telling the girl (speaking to him) that he felt very hot."

Investigations by the Police, SCDF and LTA are ongoing.