MRT staff perform CPR on commuter who collapsed at Woodlands South station

Two station managers attended to a commuter who collapsed at Woodlands South MRT station and performed potentially life-saving cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).

The incident, which occurred on Jan. 21, was shared by the Land Transport Authority (LTA) in a Jun. 30 post to highlight the efforts of the station managers, Navin and Faizal.

Commuter collapsed

Navin said a transit security officer informed him that a commuter had collapsed.

The man showed signs of cardiac arrest and appeared unresponsive, he said.

Another station manager, Faizal, used the automated external defibrillator (AED) to perform CPR on the passenger.

He admitted: "That's the very first time that I performed CPR on someone."

"He was struggling to breathe," Faizal also noted.

Paramedics soon arrived.

Commuter's children thank staff

Reflecting on the incident, Navin said: "I think this is one of those experiences that tests you as a station manager when you need to remain calm under pressure and have the presence of mind to respond swiftly and confidently."

The commuter's children returned to the MRT station on the same day to inform Faizal and Navin that their father had regained consciousness.

The children also thanked them for their help.

"Looking out for commuters is part of our job, but it's also something we genuinely care about," Faizal said.

"Great service isn't all about grand gestures. Sometimes its simply being ready to step forward when someone needs help," Navin said.

LTA lauded the duo for their proactiveness and revealed that public transport workers received over 31,000 compliments from commuters in the first quarter of 2026.