Fallen tree blocks road near MacPherson on CNY day 2, officers & workers respond swiftly

A large tree along Pipit Road in MacPherson fell early on the morning of Feb. 18, leaving the two-lane road blocked for several hours and prompting traffic diversions in the area.

MacPherson MP Tin Pei Ling said no injuries were reported and no vehicles were damaged in the incident.

Police and Town Council officers responded quickly

In a Facebook update posted at 9:58am, Tin said police officers and town council workers were on site “first thing” to manage traffic flow and guide pedestrians safely around the affected stretch.

Photos shared by Tin showed the large tree sprawled across Pipit Road, with its trunk appearing to have snapped near the base.

The affected stretch, forcing traffic to a standstill, was cordoned off with tape as workers cleared debris.

The Marine Parade–Braddell Heights Town Council, which oversees the area, also called in a horticulture contractor team to remove the fallen tree.

By around 10:12am, Ms Tin shared a further Facebook update showing that contractors had largely cleared the fallen tree from the area using heavy machinery.

Tin noted that the tree had last been inspected in November 2025 and was certified as healthy by the horticulture contractor.

Despite this, she said she had asked specialists to investigate the cause of the tree’s fall and to conduct further checks on other trees in the vicinity.

Tin also expressed appreciation to the officers and workers who carried out the clearance work during the second day of Chinese New Year.

Bus services diverted, with stops skipped

The fallen tree affected several bus services operating through the MacPherson area.

SBS Transit announced at 8:25am that services 40, 63/63M, 65, 135, 154, 155 and 158 were diverted from roads including Paya Lebar Road, Circuit Link, Circuit Road, Mattar Road and Aljunied Road.

A total of 12 bus stops were skipped.

By around 10:19am, SBS Transit said the affected services had resumed normal operations.

Clearance efforts reopened lane by mid-morning

Photos shared online showed the road cordoned off during clearance operations.

By around 10am, one lane had been reopened to allow traffic to pass through while contractors loaded sections of the tree into a lorry for disposal, according to The Straits Times (ST).

A contractor involved in the removal works told ST that the tree had toppled at around 8am, and he arrived about half an hour later.

He added that a bus was stuck for about 1 and a half hours before it was able to pass through at around 10am.

Damage appeared limited, affecting only a lighting pole and a temporary structure used to hang lanterns.

Image via tinpeiling.official/Facebook