A taxi rammed into the Thai Lily Restaurant in Toa Payoh Lorong 1 on Wednesday evening in a freak accident. The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) dispatched an ambulance to the site after they were alerted about the incident at Block 107 at around 5.20pm.
While no one was hurt, the 61-year-old male driver of the CityCab sustained minor injuries on his head after his vehicle smashed into the eatery.
Initial investigations revealed that the driver mistakenly stepped on the accelerator instead of the brake while making a three-point turn that caused the vehicle to hit the shop at a high speed.
After the accident the door on the driver's side got jammed and he could not be pulled out from that side. An eyewitness said the driver appeared dazed when he was pulled out from the Hyundai Sonata. The victim was rushed to the hospital where he is being treated for his injuries.
"Our cabby sustained slight injuries and is now recuperating in hospital. We are in touch with the shop owner and will be assisting the police in their investigations," said a spokesman for ComfortDelGro, which runs CityCab, according to The Straits Times.
However, the restaurant sustained some damage. Luckily there were no customers at that point of time as the shop had just opened. The restaurant owner, known as Kiat, said his workers were in the kitchen at the back of the shop when the accident took place.
"The damage is mainly to the pillar at the entrance and a few tables and chairs. I hope it will be safe to reopen soon, as we need to continue paying rent," said the owner. The 19-year-old businessman, who started his restaurant nine months ago, said he is paying a monthly rent of about $9,600.
