TWO pre-dawn hit-and-run accidents yesterday - one along Jalan Buroh and the other on the Pan-Island Expressway (PIE) - left three men dead.

While the driver for one has not been traced, the other - a taxi driver - has since been arrested.

In the Jalan Buroh accident at 3.35am, the victims were two PUB employees working on a water pipe in front of their parked lorry.

The police said a prime mover slammed into the rear of their lorry, which then lurched forward and hit Mr Rahim bin Hamzah, 58, and Mr Bahari bin Treemon, 55.

The driver of the prime mover disappeared from the scene, leaving his vehicle behind.

Mr Rahim died at the scene, while Mr Bahari died in hospital two hours later, the police said.

PUB said the two men were higher technicians who had been with PUB for more than 35 years, and that the water agency would do its utmost to help their families.

In the other accident, which happened about half an hour before the Jalan Buroh one, a motorcyclist lost his life on being run over by a taxi on the Tuas-bound PIE.

The police said the taxi driver, who fled from the scene, was arrested about two hours later.

The motorcyclist, Mr Chow Kok Qong, 31, had been riding for nine years and had an accident-free record, said his brother Eric Chow.

The 39-year-old church worker was too much in shock over the news of his loss to say more.

He could only add: 'I really don't know what to say or how to feel about this because it all happened too fast and sudden...I need some time to absorb all this now.'