A gaping sinkhole opened up on Tanjong Katong Road South on the late afternoon of Jul. 26, leading to a car plunging into the sinkhole, along with its female driver.

Videos shared online showed several passersby and nearby construction workers springing into action to assist in the rescue.

One of the them was 46-year-old Pitchai Udaiyappan Subbiah, a site foreman with Ohin Construction Co Pte Ltd.

He spoke to the media on Jul. 27 about how the rescue unfolded.

Quickly threw a nylon rope to the driver in the sinkhole

Subbiah said he heard the sudden sound of the sinkhole forming and rushed over.

He saw a car in the hole and the driver had exited the car by then.

Acting quickly, he instructed three of his fellow workers to toss down a nylon rope.

The workers had wanted to go into the hole but he had advised against this, as it was not safe.

The woman opened her car door and reached for it, and the workers pulled her up until she was close enough for them to lift her out of the hole.

The rescue took only two to three minutes, according to Subbiah, who noted that the sinkhole was dry when it first appeared.

First time encountering a sinkhole

Subbiah, who has worked in Singapore for 22 years, said this was the first time he had encountered such an incident.

He said that while he was scared, his main focus was on rescuing the lady.

Repair works are ongoing

To facilitate repairs, Tanjong Katong Road South, between Mountbatten Road and East Coast Parkway (ECP) will be closed, said the Land Transport Authority.

As of Jul. 27, the repair works are ongoing.

Preliminary checks by BCA confirmed that surrounding buildings are not affected, and PUB has isolated the affected water mains.

Bus services 36 and 48 will also be diverted due to the road closure, with buses skipping stops along Marine Parade, Amber, Mountbatten, and Tanjong Katong Roads.

"Motorists and commuters are advised to plan ahead for their journeys and anticipate possible delays," said LTA.