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'My wheels got stuck in the gap'
Disabled man hit by MRT train doors stranded after train leaves with wheelchair
By Lediati Tan
June 12, 2009
STUCK: Mr Quek showing how the wheels of his wheelchair got stuck in the gap when he reversed into an MRT train. TNP PICTURE: KELVIN CHNG
IT WAS anything but a typical train ride home for one physically disabled passenger.
An MRT train took off with his wheelchair while he was left behind on the platform.
The incident which left Mr Michael Quek, 44, stranded at Tiong Bahru MRT station took place on Tuesday at around 5.45pm.
Mr Quek, who lives in a three-room flat in Tampines, said he was on his way home from the Society for the Physically Disabled near Tiong Bahru where he was doing a nine-month information technology course.
He said he boarded at the end of the platform nearest to the driver as it was less crowded and it would be easier to alert the driver if he needed any help. He was the last to board as he had allowed the other passengers to enter the train before him.
As he reversed his motorised wheelchair into the train, the smaller front wheels became stuck in the gap between the platform and the train because he had reversed too slowly.
He stood from the wheelchair so that other passengers could help him pull it into the train, which they did. He was outside the train then.
'As I stood on the platform and was turning around (to face the train), the doors closed,' said Mr Quek.
He was hit by the closing platform doors on the left side of his face.
Instinctively, he stepped back and his spectacles were knocked off in the process.
Before he could react, the train and platform doors slammed shut and the train departed from the station with his wheelchair, while he stood dazed on the platform.
'I didn't know what to do. I was worried. My wheelchair was gone, how was I going to go back? I was without my glasses too,' he said.
He immediately asked a female commuter to alert the staff at the station control.
As she disappeared upstairs, Mr Quek walked slowly along the platform, supporting himself by holding on and leaning against the wall, while looking for an intercom.
He took about five minutes to reach the intercom located at the centre of the platform.
He told a station staff member, through the intercom, to help retrieve his wheelchair at the next station.
He then took a lift up to the station control and waited while a station staff member took down his particulars.
Passengers helped return chair
He got his wheelchair back 10 to 15 minutes later with the help of two female commuters, who had earlier tried to help him when his wheelchair got stuck.
He said the two commuters, who looked to be in their mid-20s, got off at Outram MRT station - the station after Tiong Bahru - and brought his wheelchair back on a train travelling in the opposite direction.
'I was surprised to see them as I was informed by SMRT that their staff will bring it back. I'm grateful to them,' he said.
Mr Quek, who is unemployed, said he used to move around with a walking stick until he bought a motorised wheelchair in April this year to make it easier for him to do his grocery shopping.
A sudden stroke in 2005 had left the right side of his body paralysed.
He has been travelling between Tampines and Tiong Bahru on the MRT every day since he bought his wheelchair and never had problems until that day.
When The New Paper met Mr Quek at Tiong Bahru MRT station yesterday afternoon, he showed us how easy it was to get his wheels stuck between the platform gap.
Mr Quek said that more should be done to improve the safety of trains, such as having more staff on train platforms during peak hours at stations close to centres for the disabled.
He also felt that intercoms should be installed at the ends of train platforms, and not just in the middle.
The station staff have apologised and assured Mr Quek that they will investigate the incident.
'My wheels got stuck in the gap'
Disabled man hit by MRT train doors stranded after train leaves with wheelchair
By Lediati Tan
June 12, 2009
STUCK: Mr Quek showing how the wheels of his wheelchair got stuck in the gap when he reversed into an MRT train. TNP PICTURE: KELVIN CHNG
IT WAS anything but a typical train ride home for one physically disabled passenger.
An MRT train took off with his wheelchair while he was left behind on the platform.
The incident which left Mr Michael Quek, 44, stranded at Tiong Bahru MRT station took place on Tuesday at around 5.45pm.
Mr Quek, who lives in a three-room flat in Tampines, said he was on his way home from the Society for the Physically Disabled near Tiong Bahru where he was doing a nine-month information technology course.
He said he boarded at the end of the platform nearest to the driver as it was less crowded and it would be easier to alert the driver if he needed any help. He was the last to board as he had allowed the other passengers to enter the train before him.
As he reversed his motorised wheelchair into the train, the smaller front wheels became stuck in the gap between the platform and the train because he had reversed too slowly.
He stood from the wheelchair so that other passengers could help him pull it into the train, which they did. He was outside the train then.
'As I stood on the platform and was turning around (to face the train), the doors closed,' said Mr Quek.
He was hit by the closing platform doors on the left side of his face.
Instinctively, he stepped back and his spectacles were knocked off in the process.
Before he could react, the train and platform doors slammed shut and the train departed from the station with his wheelchair, while he stood dazed on the platform.
'I didn't know what to do. I was worried. My wheelchair was gone, how was I going to go back? I was without my glasses too,' he said.
He immediately asked a female commuter to alert the staff at the station control.
As she disappeared upstairs, Mr Quek walked slowly along the platform, supporting himself by holding on and leaning against the wall, while looking for an intercom.
He took about five minutes to reach the intercom located at the centre of the platform.
He told a station staff member, through the intercom, to help retrieve his wheelchair at the next station.
He then took a lift up to the station control and waited while a station staff member took down his particulars.
Passengers helped return chair
He got his wheelchair back 10 to 15 minutes later with the help of two female commuters, who had earlier tried to help him when his wheelchair got stuck.
He said the two commuters, who looked to be in their mid-20s, got off at Outram MRT station - the station after Tiong Bahru - and brought his wheelchair back on a train travelling in the opposite direction.
'I was surprised to see them as I was informed by SMRT that their staff will bring it back. I'm grateful to them,' he said.
Mr Quek, who is unemployed, said he used to move around with a walking stick until he bought a motorised wheelchair in April this year to make it easier for him to do his grocery shopping.
A sudden stroke in 2005 had left the right side of his body paralysed.
He has been travelling between Tampines and Tiong Bahru on the MRT every day since he bought his wheelchair and never had problems until that day.
When The New Paper met Mr Quek at Tiong Bahru MRT station yesterday afternoon, he showed us how easy it was to get his wheels stuck between the platform gap.
Mr Quek said that more should be done to improve the safety of trains, such as having more staff on train platforms during peak hours at stations close to centres for the disabled.
He also felt that intercoms should be installed at the ends of train platforms, and not just in the middle.
The station staff have apologised and assured Mr Quek that they will investigate the incident.
