A TAXI driver with a newly-arrived tourist in his back seat collapsed at the wheel on Tuesday morning and crashed into a median at Changi Airport.
Cabbie Kwan Lok Pang was rushed to hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival.
Police said his passenger, a Chinese national who had just jumped in at Terminal 1, was unscathed.
It is not known what caused the 54-year-old to collapse, and his family members on Wednesday declined to say whether he had heart problems.
Mr Kwan had been working for Premier Taxis for three years, said the company's managing director, Lim Chong Boo.
Mr Lim said the cabbie 'looked healthy' and, like all taxi drivers between 50 and 65, would have undergone a medical check-up once every two years.
Collapses like Mr Kwan's are uncommon, according to taxi companies. Premier said this its first, while SMRT Taxis said it has never had such a case. ComfortDelgro, the country's biggest cab company, declined to provide statistics.
Police said Mr Kwan was approaching Terminal 2 on Tuesday morning when passed out and slumped over the wheel. His car veered towards the right before smashing into the centre divider.
Mr Kwan suffered scrapes on his forehead and was unconscious when paramedics arrived. It is unclear if he was killed by the impact of the crash.
On Wednesday, family and friends gathered for his wake in Jalan Teck Whye. His wife and adult children said they were too distraught to be interviewed.
His younger sister, however, said Mr Kwan had always worked in the transport industry. Prior driving a taxi, he owned a transport company that went under.
Premier Taxi's Mr Lim said his death was unfortunate.
'We will do our utmost to help Mr Kwan's family,' he said.
MOM beware !!
This could happen to you if u do not take good care of your health .
We might looked healthy when we went thru any medical checkups , but fits does happen to anyone under severe fatigue .
Eat well , drink well , alot of water , sleep well , eat lots of vegies , less meat , do run abit , exercise your joints .
when it's time to rest , u must rest ,
I knew all , cos when i was OMO , for 9 months , time & time again , i felt like dying . lol .
Originally posted by ALN:could be heart attack… unlikely to be due to sleepiness cos cabby must get out of car when pax board at airport…
unfortunate
Also possible Epileptic Fits occurs .... fits can occurs to anyone , to anyone who was fatigue .... black-out we called it .
Now 18.46hr , me still at home , Sonata brake faulty , need 4 hours to service , wtf Pandan Workshop , my relief sent in at 2pm , now still haven't come back .
Originally posted by ALN:mr Pool, so free? not working today?
me sleep at least 6 hours uninterrupted sleep daily…
u last time omo sleep how many hours?
last time, when i started driving, lost 5kg over few months… pple say i over-worked….nowadays me gained back that 5kg over few months… under-worked?....haha
during my OMO days .... woke up 6.45am , started work @ 7.30am , once clocked peak hour .
Iinterval at 12pm , go home rest ... til 4pm ....
Restarted engine , all the way til 10.30pm last pax to CCK .
By 12am must sleep 6.5 hours , me already by the 9th months , punctured . Really tired liao .
Make no sense ...... meaning salary still same , or little more than half a shift .My salary pulled down by my saturday's attitude and Sunday rest attitude .
I think it is all about diet and sufficient rest. Sitting inside taxi for too long hours can cause deep-vein thrombosis as well as heart problem.
Must take care of your health!
Money is important but health is much more important!