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Woman, 32, who sustained 80% burns on body saving fiance from burning car in 2021 Tanjong Pagar car crash, returns to getai stage
She has spent the past 5 years preparing for her comeback.
Constance Tan
February 23, 2026, 05:53 PM
The woman who sustained burns all over her body while attempting to rescue her fiance from a burning car wreckage in Tanjong Pagar in 2021, is making her getai comeback after five years of recovery.
Raybe Oh Siew Hui, now 32, had suffered burns to over 80 per cent of her body when she tried to pull her fiance out of his car, which caught fire after crashing into a row of shophouses.
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She was initially hospitalised in Singapore General Hospital (SGH) and was reported to have been "fighting for her life".
Road to recovery
According to Shin Min Daily News, Oh, who became a getai performer to pay for her school fees and reduce the burden on her father, had to be intubated at one point to breathe.
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She spent the past five years preparing for her comeback after getting discharged from the hospital.
She is slated to return to the stage on Feb. 27.
Her guest performance, organised by Zhenghua Community Club next to Bukit Panjang's Greenridge Shopping Centre, is scheduled for 6:30pm on Friday.
Oh, a former Singapore Airlines stewardess, told Shin Min that upon recovery, the skin at her chin and neck became hard, making it very difficult to sing.
Her voice would crack even while crooning basic tunes and she initially did not have enough breath, but this gradually improved after years of practice, she added.
But hitting high notes is still a challenge.
To improve her lung capacity, she reportedly ran three times a week, half an hour each time, and sang in her bathroom for 20 minutes each day.
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Despite her desire to return to performing, she was not approached by organisers over the past few years, she said.
She also did not feel confident enough to return to the stage, but continued to practice for about a year until November 2025, when she finally expressed her desire to sing to a childhood friend, who had been consistently encouraging her over the years.
The friend is also the upcoming show's planner, and happens to be the son of its emcee.
"Over the years, I feel that she has changed a lot. That she now has the courage to stand on stage, I think she has finally moved on," he told Shin Min.
Aftermath of the accident
The fatal accident occurred at about 5:40am during the Chinese New Year period on Feb. 13, 2021, when Oh's fiance, Jonathan Long, drove a BMW at 148km/h into the shophouse at 37 Tanjong Pagar Road.
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Long, 29, alongside Teo Qi Xiang, 26, Eugene Yap Zheng Min, 29, Gary Wong Hong Chieh, 29, and Elvin Tan Yong Hao, 28, initially survived the crash.
However, the car's left door was blocked by the shophouse's shutter, while the driver's seat door could not open due to the intense heat.
All five men died afterwards due to severe burns and other injuries while trapped in the car.
Four of the victims had taken turns driving the car, and all were found to have had a blood alcohol level higher than the legal limit.
In the aftermath of the crash, eyewitnesses saw Oh, then 26, bloodied and badly injured.
She was observed to have been trying to open the door to save her fiance, but got burned in the process.
She was subsequently hospitalised for four months and now bears permanent scars on her body.
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Still in touch with family of her fiance
Five years on, she told Shin Min that she had not performed in a long time and was a little worried about the upcoming performance.
Members of the public have continued sending her private messages of encouragement over the years, which has helped to alleviate some of the fears.
When asked about her relationship status following the fateful day, Oh said she is still in contact with her late fiance's parents, who still treats her like a daughter and whom she sometimes travels with.
"They are my family too. I go back to spend one or two nights every week on average and celebrate the Chinese New Year with them," she said.
As for future relationships, she admitted that she still feels a sense of insecurity, but will let nature take its course.
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Oh, whose skin condition requires scar treatment every six weeks, also joined a burn victims' support group and said she is now acting as a "mentor" for patients' families.
This involves sharing her experiences and providing emotional support to other burn victims and their families, she said.
She said: "If I can do it, so can you."
