Even from his sixth-floor office at Hyflux Innovation Centre in Bendemeer Road, Mr Foo Suan Wang could hear the "very loud, terrible scream" from the streets below.

He rushed to the nearest window, where he filmed a remarkable display of public spiritedness yesterday morning as more than 30 passers-by rushed to lift a trailer truck to free a man pinned underneath.

The man, believed to be a 35-year-old South Korean, was hit while crossing the road,lying prone, face-down under the truck in a pool of blood, and was lucky to survive. He escaped with a leg fracture and underwent surgery last night at Tan Tock Seng Hospital, where he was taken by the Singapore Civil Defence Force.

Police confirmed that the 25-year-old lorry driver was arrested and investigations are ongoing.

The 1 and a 1/2-minute taken by Mr Foo, a senior manager at healthcare company Medtronic, has received more than 177,000 views and 4,100 shares on Facebook – attracting numerous comments praising the passers-by who responded.

"We are One Singapore!!!", wrote one user, while another commented, "faith in humanity restored".

"You don't see this every day, people from all walks of life coming spontaneously to help," said Mr Foo. "Welldone, Singapore."

bbabo.Net