A MOTORIST was killed when his car collided with a lorry along Sembawang Road.

Mr Ong Chu Rui, 23, was heading towards Upper Thomson Road on Thursday evening when the head-on crash happened. The lorry was heading towards Mandai Road.

Mr Ong, who was trapped in the wreck, had multiple injuries, said police spokesman Liu Xiangling. It took civil defence officers 20 minutes to free him. He died at the scene.

The 56-year-old lorry driver was taken to Tan Tock Seng Hospital. He complained of pains in his leg.

He is helping police with investigations.

Several of Mr Ong's relatives and friends gathered for the wake on Friday at the void deck of Block 376 Clementi Avenue 4, where his family lives.

His neighbours, who referred to him by his pet name Ah Boy, said he was a well-mannered young man.

His 44-year-old grief-stricken mother, who wished to be identified only as Madam Chiang, said he was on his way home after taking a friend home to Yishun when the accident happened.

Mr Ong was her only child.

She said he had been a car salesman for two years and that she last saw him on Thursday morning when he left for work.

She struggled to compose herself and declined to say more.

Police have appealed for eyewitnesses to contact 1800-5471818.