A coroner's inquiry into the fatal Tanjong Pagar car crash in Feb. 2021 was held today (Jun. 9).

Alcohol level above legal limit

It was revealed that the driver, Jonathan Long Junwei, 29, had a blood alcohol level which was higher than the legal limit of 80mg per 100ml.

His passengers also had alcohol levels that exceeded the legal limit.

They were Teo Qi Xiang, 26, Eugene Yap Zheng Min, 29, Gary Wong Hong Chieh, 29, and Elvin Tan Yong Hao, 28.

Four rounds of joyride at Tanjong Pagar

Four different individuals -- Yap, Long, and two other friends, Park Se Jin and Phoo Yi Lin -- took turns driving the car, according to Traffic Police investigator Firdaus Suleiman.

During Long's turn, he and the four passengers were travelling at 148 km/h before the car crashed into a shophouse at Tanjong Pagar.

Firdaus added that the speed limit along the road was 50km/h.

According to the autopsy report, all five men were still alive after the crash.

However, the car's left door was blocked by the shophouse's shutter, while the driver's seat door could not open due to the intense heat.

All five men died afterwards due to severe burns and other injuries.

Events leading up to fatal crash

The five men were drinking with their friends at a house in Ang Mo Kio to celebrate the first day of Chinese New Year.

They decided to go to Tanjong Pagar afterwards for supper. However, all the restaurants were closed during that time.

They decided to have supper at a Korean restaurant along Tanjong Pagar Road and continued to drink till around 4am.

While outside the restaurant, Long wanted to show his new car to his friends.

They were excited to see it because it was newly purchased, leading to the four rounds of joyride.

SCDF's findings

A Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) senior fire investigator testified that the collision caused the car's exhaust system to be severely deformed.

The collision also caused petrol to spill and come into contact with the hot exhaust system.

This, coupled with other combustible plastics in the car, could have ignited the petrol, causing a fire that spread rapidly.

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Top photo by Sulaiman Daud and Song Seng Wun Facebook post.