How many fires caused by charging of PMDs?

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#1

10 injured, including 3 children, after fire engulfs Whampoa flat
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About 100 people from the affected block were evacuated by SCDF and the police.
PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO

Wong Shiying

28 FEB 2021

SINGAPORE - Ten people, three of them children, were injured and suffered smoke inhalation after a fire broke out on Sunday (Feb 28) at a Housing and Development Board flat in Whampoa.

They were subsequently taken to hospitals, said the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) in a Facebook post.

SCDF said it was alerted to a fire at Blk 22 Jalan Tenteram at around 9am.

"The fire was raging and had engulfed a residential unit on the second floor," it said.

Six people in the affected unit managed to leave the flat before the SCDF arrived.

Two of them were found on the ground floor with injuries. They were attended to by a paramedic and crew from SCDF's Emergency Medical Services.

At the same time, firefighters from Central Fire Station extinguished the fire using one water jet and two compressed air foam backpacks.

About 100 people from the affected block were evacuated by SCDF and the police.

A few units next to and above the affected unit sustained heat and smoke damages, said SCDF.

"Preliminary investigation into the cause of the fire indicates that it was of electrical origin from the living room," it added.

In response to queries, Member of Parliament for Jalan Besar GRC Heng Chee How said on Sunday that he met one of the children of the family living in the affected unit, with grassroots leaders and the Whampoa Welfare Committee.

“We’re in close touch with him and his family, as well as other families in the surrounding units.

“We will coordinate our efforts to help them,” he said.

Asked if any residents have requested for emergency accommodation, Mr Heng said HDB is in contact with the affected families.

“Some of the families are checking with their relatives to see if they can live with them in the interim, but HDB stands ready to offer them flats to live in temporarily,” he said.

 

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#2

Town council cleaners, Grab riders commended for rescuing couple from fire in Yishun flat
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(From left) Mr Easin Mohammad, Mr Hossan Mohammad Saddam and Mr Biswas Md Wasim, immediately rushed up to the flat which was engulfed in flames.
PHOTOS: NEE SOON TOWN COUNCIL, LIANHE ZAOBAO

Jessie Lim

NOV 19, 2020


SINGAPORE - Three town council cleaners at work at a block in Yishun last Saturday (Nov 14) wasted no time in responding when they heard cries for help.

Mr Easin Mohammad, 27, Mr Biswas Md Wasim, 41, and their supervisor, Mr Hossan Mohammad Saddam, 30, immediately rushed up to a flat on the fourth storey which was engulfed in flames.

Using a sledge hammer Mr Saddam grabbed on the way up, the trio forced open the metal gate of the two-room flat occupied by Mr Ismail Sanif, 53, and his wife.

“I did not think about whether I would be injured in the process. The only thing on my mind was that I should try to save their lives,” said Mr Saddam.

The three of them, all Bangladeshis, were joined shortly by four Grab riders who had heard about the fire from a chat group they were part of.

With the help of a neighbour, the Grab riders managed to break down the wooden door of the flat.

They were just in time to rescue Mr Ismail's wife, who was hiding from the flames in a corner of her flat, said Nee Soon Town Council chairman Derrick Goh on Facebook on Sunday.

Mr Ismail, who was halfway through a shower, had climbed onto the ledge outside his toilet to escape the fire even though he was not fully dressed.

Battling the "thick smoke that blinded and choked them", the Grab riders and the neighbours took turns to help put out the fire, said Mr Goh.

About 40 residents evacuated themselves from the block before the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) was alerted at 9.45am to the fire.

By then, the fire in the kitchen was already under control but one still raged through the bedroom, said one of the Grab riders, Mr Omar Syarif, 24.

“If we did not do anything, the whole flat may have burned down with two lives on the line,” he added.

A Nee Soon Town Council spokesman confirmed on Thursday that Mr Ismail's wife was taken to the Singapore General Hospital with burn injuries, while Mr Ismail was assessed for smoke inhalation but declined to be taken to hospital.

Commending Mr Ismail's neighbours, the town council cleaners and Grab riders for their part in the rescue, Mr Goh said he was touched by the strong community spirit in his ward, Nee Soon Link.

He added that Nee Soon grassroots leaders are assisting the couple to make insurance claims and obtain emergency funds to rebuild their home.

Preliminary investigations indicated that the fire was caused by an electric bicycle left to charge.

 

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E-bike left to charge causes fire in Yishun flat, two people carried out of unit by SCDF

Preliminary investigations indicated that the fire was caused by an electric bicycle left to charge.
PHOTOS: SINGAPORE CIVIL DEFENCE FORCE/FACEBOOK

Jessie Lim


NOV 14, 2020

SINGAPORE - Two people were rescued after a fire broke out in a one-bedroom flat in Yishun on Saturday morning (Nov 14).

Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) officers found one of the occupants in the bedroom and the other in the toilet. Both had to be carried out of the unit.

One was taken to the Singapore General Hospital with burn injuries while the other was assessed for smoke inhalation but refused to be taken to hospital.

About 40 residents evacuated from the block before the SCDF arrived.

Preliminary investigations indicated that the fire was caused by an electric bicycle left to charge.

The SCDF highlighted the safety tips for e-bikes and personal mobility devices, including using power adaptors that carry the Safety Mark and refraining from charging devices or batteries overnight.


Batteries should also be regularly examined for damage or deformities such as bloating, corrosion or powdery residue.

 

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#3
Overheated PMD caused fire linked to man's death
Court hears device was being charged in flat and path to safety might have been blocked
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Private-hire driver Goh Keng Soon, 40, died two days after the fire broke out in his flat in Bukit Batok in July last year. The coroner's court heard that the path to safety for him and his family might have been blocked as the burning personal mobility device and sofa were near the front door.
PHOTOS: ST READER, ST FILE

Shaffiq Alkhatib
Court Correspondent

OCT 24, 2020

A fire in a Bukit Batok flat last year that led to the death of the home owner was caused by a personal mobility device (PMD) that overheated as it was being charged, the coroner's court heard yesterday.

The Straits Times had earlier reported that private-hire driver Goh Keng Soon, 40, was unconscious when he was pulled out of his flat on July 18 last year.

He died two days later. He is possibly the first person known to have died in a fire linked to a PMD.

At an inquiry on his death, Inspector Muhammad Eszham Sabtu said Mr Goh, who suffered burns, died of multiple organ failure following a heart attack. He also had coronary artery disease.

The investigation officer told State Coroner Kamala Ponnampalam that three PMDs were found in the living room, but only one was being charged at the time.

He also said that when the fire broke out, Mr Goh tried to save his two dogs, but owing to the heat and smoke, he retreated to a toilet where he collapsed. Insp Eszham added that even though it was unclear if Mr Goh had saved his pets, both dogs survived the blaze.

Major Huang Weikang from the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) told the state coroner three people were injured following the fire but only Mr Goh died. The other two were his wife and a neighbour.

Maj Huang believes the fire was accidental and said that the living room furniture fuelled the flames.

He said the path to safety for Mr Goh and his family might have been blocked as the burning PMD and sofa were near the front door.

As a safety precaution, he told the court that people should use only PMDs approved by the Land Transport Authority, adding: "Don't charge them overnight or (charge them) unattended."

Singapore saw a record 102 fires involving PMDs last year, almost double that of the previous year.

The SCDF had reportedly said all the fires involved non-UL2272-certified devices with some modification, mainly to the battery.

The UL2272 requirement was developed by an independent United States certification company.

It specifies a set of safety requirements covering the electrical drive train system of motorised PMDs.

All PMDs in Singapore must now be UL2272-certified.

The court heard that Mr Goh's PMD was damaged in the blaze.

As a result, it could not be ascertained if its battery management system was UL2272-certified.

The state coroner will give her findings at a later date.

 

[syed putra]

(From left) Mr Easin Mohammad, Mr Hossan Mohammad Saddam and Mr Biswas Md Wasim, immediately rushed up to the flat which was engulfed in flames

Why sll rempits got mohamad to their names?

 

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#4

Three men involved in separate fires linked to power-assisted bicycles fined over their illegal modification

Singaporeans Low Yi Hong, 31, Isaac Choo Chi Kin, 24, and Lee Gee Kian, 42, were each fined between $3,000 and $3,500.
ST PHOTO: WONG KWAI CHOW

Shaffiq Alkhatib
Court Correspondent

JUL 31, 2020

SINGAPORE - Three users of illegally modified power-assisted bicycles (PAB) appeared in a district court on Thursday (July 30) following separate incidents where their batteries caught fire.

No one was injured in these incidents.

In the first convictions of their kind, Singaporeans Isaac Choo Chi Kin, 24, Low Yi Hong, 31, and Lee Gee Kian, 42, were each fined between $3,000 and $3,500.

Lee and Low pleaded guilty to permitting the unlawful alteration of the PABs and keeping the modified vehicles.

Choo, on the other hand, had allowed someone else to use a PAB that had been unlawfully altered. He also admitted that he had kept an unregistered PAB.

Choo, who said that he has been jobless since the Covid-19 outbreak started, received the highest fine of $3,500.

He had earlier allowed a friend to use his PAB and it was returned on Jan 3 this year.

Choo had left the vehicle to be charged for about an hour at a staircase landing of a Choa Chu Kang Avenue 3 block of flats later that day when his father told him that its battery had spontaneously combusted.

Choo and other members of the public managed to extinguish the flames before Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) officers arrived at the scene.

On Thursday, Land Transport Authority prosecutor Ng Jun Kai told the court: "The accused... admitted to (the) SCDF officers that he had conducted modifications to the said PAB by upgrading the motor - replacing the motor with a speedway battery pack - and had installed a controller."

Lee, who was fined $3,300 on Thursday, bought his PAB in November last year.

The following month, he paid $350 to a man, known only as "Xiao Dao" to install an external portable battery.

Mr Ng told the court that Lee's PAB had an additional wire extending from the motor, which allowed an additional battery to be connected.

"Such subsequent battery modification will void the original EN15194 certification for the said PAB thereby rendering it non-compliant."

Lee used his non-compliant PAB for his work as a delivery rider.

The vehicle was near Choa Chu Kang MRT station on Jan 3 this year when its battery spontaneously combusted.

SCDF officers arrived at the scene at around noon but by then, the PAB was already destroyed by the fire.

Since Feb 1, 2018, all PABs must be registered with the LTA. Only e-bikes with EN15194 certification are approved for use.

Mr Ng said: "The EN15194 is a rigorous standard that has also been adopted by Australia and many European countries, requiring stringent tests on the mechanical strength of batteries as well as the risks of short circuits and overcharging."

Low, who was also fined $3,000, had borrowed a PAB from a man. Low also bought a spare battery for it on Dec 25 last year.

Another man who delivered the item then carried out some works to attach a cable to the PAB's internal circuitry so that the spare battery could be used with the vehicle.

Low tried to use the spare battery the next day but noticed that there was no connection. He removed it and continued using the original internal battery, the court heard.

Low later noticed that the spare battery appeared bloated and immediately placed it outside his flat at Tah Ching Road in Taman Jurong.

"Shortly after, the battery started emitting sparks and a fire ensured. The police and SCDF were activated to the accused's home," said Mr Ng.

The LTA prosecutor also told the court on Thursday that there had been 17 reported cases of PAB-related fires in the first half of this year alone. This is an increase from previous years, when there were 13 and 22 such fires in 2019 and 2018 respectively.

Offenders convicted of permitting the illegal alteration of a PAB can be jailed for up to three months and fined up to $5,000.

 

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#5

30 people evacuated after PMD-related fire breaks out at Eunos block

The SCDF were alerted to the fire at Block 1 Eunos Crescent at about 3.05pm.
PHOTOS: ST READER, SINGAPORE CIVIL DEFENCE FORCE/FACEBOOK

Jean Iau

JUN 14, 2020

SINGAPORE - About 30 residents were evacuated from a block in Eunos after a fire broke out on Sunday (June 14) afternoon.

The fire is believed to have been caused by a personal mobility device (PMD) that was charging shortly before the fire broke out, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said in a Facebook update on Sunday.

The SCDF were alerted to the fire at Block 1 Eunos Crescent at about 3.05pm and no injuries were reported.

When SCDF personnel arrived, part of a corridor on the seventh floor of the block was engulfed in flames, the force said. The team put out the fire using a fire extinguisher and a water jet.

The SCDF has tips to prevent PMD-related fires on its website.

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) encourages all PMD owners to use UL2272-certified devices and look out for the UL2272 certification marks when buying a PMD.

More information on UL2272 certification and a list of certified devices in Singapore are available on LTA's website.

All owners of non-UL2272-certified PMDs are also strongly encouraged to dispose of their devices at designated points as soon as possible. More information on PMD disposal is available on the website.

 

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#6

PMDs, vegetation fuel 7.8% jump in fire-related calls
SCDF responds to nearly 3,000 calls; PMD-linked fires almost double

Lieutenant-Colonel Janice Oh, senior assistant director of Singapore Civil Defence Force's Emergency Medical Services Department, telling Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Health Amrin Amin the measures taken to disinfect ambulances that have ferried suspected coronavirus cases.
ST PHOTO: ALPHONSUS CHERN

Cara Wong

FEB 13, 2020

Firefighters responded to more fire-related calls last year, sparked by a jump in vegetation fires and personal mobility devices (PMD) catching fire.

Statistics released by the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) yesterday showed that it responded to a total of 2,862 fire-related calls last year, up 7.8 per cent from the year before. This figure excludes the number of fires involving rubbish and rubbish chutes, which the SCDF said pose a "very low risk" relative to other fires.

Most of the blazes last year were due to the indiscriminate disposal of materials like cigarette butts or charcoal embers, which account for more than one in three fires.

Fires of electrical origin were the second most common cause of fire, resulting in about 23 per cent of all blazes last year. Vegetation fires saw the largest rise last year, with the numbers jumping by 50.2 per cent from the year before, to 883 cases last year.

"This was largely due to the sustained dry weather between January and March 2019, as well as between July and September 2019," said SCDF in its statement.

To address this, the agency will continue to work with the Wildfire Task Force, which has been stepping up preventive measures, such as trimming overgrown vegetation at high-risk areas.

"Patrols at fire hot spots will also be increased during dry periods to detect possible fire risks in order for SCDF to promptly attend to any fire occurrences," said the agency.

There were 102 PMD-related fires last year, close to double the previous year's number, and 46 people were injured from these fires and blazes involving power-assisted bicycles, including one fatality.

This is about 30 per cent of the total number of 142 injury cases and one fatality resulting from fires last year. About half of those injured suffered from smoke inhalation, and the other half, from burns.

SCDF urged owners of non-UL2272 certified devices to dispose of them at designated disposal points. It added that it will continue to highlight the fire safety risks associated with PMDs and power-assisted bicycles.

However, SCDF's director of operations, Assistant Commissioner (AC) Daniel Seet, said the agency has seen a decreasing trend for such PMD-related fires since last December. "We are continuing to monitor this. This is something that the inter-agency task force... is looking closely into," said AC Seet.

Fires in residences fell by 5.4 per cent from the year before to 1,168. Unattended cooking, discarded items and household contents figured most highly in such fires.

Fires in open areas such as in vegetation or vehicles spiked by around 30 per cent to 1,198, while fires in non-residential premises went up by 0.2 per cent to 496.

Paramedics also responded to more calls last year, with an increase in both emergency and non-emergency calls to the 995 hotline.

Of the 191,468 calls for emergency medical services, 9.2 per cent, or 17,626 calls, were non-emergencies or false alarms. This constitutes around 48 non-emergency calls every day. SCDF said it will continue to raise public awareness of the differences between emergency and non-emergency cases.

 

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#7

73 PMD-related fires from Jan to Sept, figure is highest in 5 years

On Dec 5, a personal mobility devices that was being charged in a Clementi Housing Board common corridor caused a fire that led to three residents being evacuated.
PHOTO: SINGAPORE CIVIL DEFENCE FORCE/FACEBOOK

Prisca Ang

DEC 15, 2019

SINGAPORE - The number of fires related to personal mobility devices (PMDs) has reached its highest in five years.

There were 73 PMD-related fires in the first nine months of this year, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said in a Facebook post on Sunday (Dec 15).

This number is almost equal to the 74 fires involving these devices for the whole of last year. More of such fires have happened since September.

A man and an infant were taken to hospital on Oct 8 after a fire in a Bukit Batok flat, suspected to have been caused by a PMD.

And on Dec 5, a PMD that was being charged in a Clementi Housing Board common corridor caused a fire that led to three residents being evacuated.

Fires involving these devices have become increasingly common in recent years.

In 2017, there were 49 PMD-related fires, up from 14 in 2016 and just one in 2015.

A total of 71 victims were injured by these fires from 2016 to September this year.

They included a 40-year-old man who died in hospital after being rescued from his burning flat in Bukit Batok in July. The blaze was linked to three e-scooters found burnt in the unit.

Many victims had thought that these fires would not happen to them, SCDF said in its Facebook post. "But your household items, pets, and your loved ones can be in danger when a PMD fire happens."

The deadline for PMDs to be certified safe was brought forward by six months to July 1, 2020, in response to concerns about the risks they pose to the public, said Senior Minister of State for Transport Lam Pin Min in Parliament in August.

He also announced that from April 1 next year, all e-scooters will have to go for mandatory inspections.

The UL2272 standard is a set of safety requirements covering the electrical drive train system of PMDs, including the battery system. Devices have to undergo rigorous tests at accredited testing centres before being certified.

In a video in its Facebook post, the SCDF advises members of the public to dispose of PMDs which are not UL2272-certified as soon as possible.

From now until March next year, they can dispose of the devices at designated disposal points set up by e-waste recyclers appointed by the Land Transport Authority (LTA) across Housing Board estates, or at the LTA's Sin Ming office.

PMD users should also examine their devices' batteries regularly for damage and deformities such as bloating, corrosion or powdery residue, said the SCDF.

They should not leave their devices charging for a prolonged period of time unattended or overnight, or immediately after use.

The SCDF also reminded users to avoid tampering, modifying or repairing their devices or batteries.

For more information on UL2272 certification, go to www.go.gov.sg/ul2272sg or www.go.gov.sg/pmddisposal.

 

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#8

Parliament: PMD fires doubled in 2019; some using illegal PMDs again in circuit breaker period

The number of fires involving non-compliant personal mobility devices increased from 52 in 2018 to 102 last year.
PHOTO: ST FILE

Toh Ting Wei


MAY 4, 2020

SINGAPORE - The number of fires involving non-compliant personal mobility devices (PMDs) almost doubled from 52 in 2018 to 102 last year, and such fires continue to occur despite multiple measures to arrest the problem.

It is also "worrying" that some have started using non-compliant PMDs again during the circuit breaker period, Senior Minister of State for Transport Lam Pin Min wrote in a Facebook post after he introduced two Bills in Parliament on Monday (May 4).

The Bills are to bolster the Transport Ministry's ability to tackle these issues, Dr Lam said in the post.

The Small Motorised Vehicles Bill will introduce measures like import controls of motorised PMDs and power-assisted bicycles. Its aim is to prevent non-compliant devices from entering Singapore.

The Active Mobility (Amendment No. 2) Bill, on the other hand, will extend the coverage of the law to include path-connected open spaces.

This will allow the Land Transport Authority (LTA) to take action against errant riders in areas that are linked to paths, like town centres.

Dr Lam wrote in his post: "Together, they will give the Government greater authority and flexibility to improve safety, enhance active mobility connectivity and bring about greater harmony in our common living spaces."

To underline the need for controls to stem the import of non-complaint PMDs, he cited the case of a PMD catching fire in a Housing Board flat in Sengkang in March.

LTA, in a statement on Monday, said that on top of the Bills, it is looking at streamlining the forfeiture process for non-compliant devices that pose a fire risk. Details will be given later, it added.

Separately, Senior Minister of State for Law Edwin Tong introduced the High Court (Admiralty Jurisdiction) (Amendment) Bill in Parliament on Monday.

It proposes to extend the court's jurisdiction to include special compensation claims arising from salvage operations that prevent or minimise environmental damage.
Such claims can be made even if the ship or its cargo is not saved, said the Law Ministry.

Its spokesman said: "The Bill complements Singapore's upcoming accession to the International Convention on Salvage, as well as earlier amendments to the Merchant Shipping Act.

"By placing special compensation claims on the same footing as traditional salvage claims, the Bill will incentivise salvors to protect the environment during salvage operations."

 

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#9

SCDF rescues 3 people trapped in Sengkang flat after PMD catches fire in living room

The Singapore Civil Defence Force said they responded to a fire at a fourth-floor unit at Block 111 Rivervale Walk on March 10, 2020.
PHOTO: SINGAPORE CIVIL DEFENCE FORCE/FACEBOOK
Farah Daley

MAR 10, 2020

SINGAPORE (STOMP) - Three people were rescued from a Sengkang Housing Board (HDB) flat after a fire broke out in the unit's living room in the early hours of Tuesday morning (March 10).

The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said in a statement on its Facebook page that it responded to a fire at a fourth-floor unit at Block 111 Rivervale Walk at about 5.30am.

"Three persons were trapped in the unit near the living room window," the SCDF said.

"SCDF firefighters conducted forced entry into the unit through this window to rescue the occupants. Concurrently, SCDF firefighters wearing breathing apparatus sets conducted forced entry into the smoke-logged unit through the door to extinguish the fire."

The fire was extinguished with one water jet.

SCDF paramedics assessed the three rescued occupants and two people from a neighbouring unit. All of them refused to be takento hospital.

About 80 residents from the block were evacuated by the police and subsequently allowed to return to their homes.

SCDF's preliminary investigation into the cause of the fire showed it was of electrical origin from a non-UL2272 certified personal mobility device (PMD), which was charging at the time of the fire.

The SCDF gave the following tips on how to prevent PMD fires:
- The Land Transport Authority (LTA) encourages all PMD owners to use UL2272 certified devices and to look out for the UL2272 Certification Marks.
- Refer to LTA's website for more information on UL2272 certification and an indicative list of UL2272 certified devices available in Singapore.
- All owners of non-UL2272 certified PMDs are strongly encouraged to dispose of their devices at designated disposal points as soon as possible. For more info, refer to go.gov.sg/pmddisposal

 

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#10
Three fires break out over CNY weekend; one linked to e-bike
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The first fire took place at a two-storey supermarket in Block 539A Bedok North Street 3 last Saturday morning. It destroyed the contents on the second floor of the supermarket.
PHOTO: SCDF/ FACEBOOK
Prisca Ang and Jean Iau

JAN 27, 2020

Three fires broke out over the first two days of the Chinese New Year festival, including one linked to an electric bicycle.

Two occurred last Saturday morning and another early yesterday. There were no major injuries reported at any of the blazes.

The first incident was at a two-storey supermarket in Block 539A Bedok North Street 3 at about 11.30am last Saturday.

The non-residential unit was heavily smoke-logged by the time 10 emergency vehicles and 30 firefighters arrived.

Officers in breathing apparatus and armed with water jets battled poor visibility when they entered the unit to locate the fire and anyone who might have been trapped.

"Firefighters had to proceed cautiously on the second floor as a large area had been extensively damaged," said the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF).

The fire, which destroyed the contents on the second floor of the supermarket, was extinguished with a water jet.

Another fire that occurred at almost the same time last Saturday morning broke out in a flat in Block 672 Hougang Avenue 8.

By the time firefighters arrived, 25 people had evacuated. The fire in the living room was put out with a water jet.

The SCDF is investigating the cause of both fires.

The third blaze broke out at a condominium unit in 5 Buangkok Green, Hougang, around 5.50am yesterday. About 180 residents had moved outside by the time firefighters arrived.

The fire set ablaze a unit at Block 5 Buangkok Green on Jan 26, 2020. PHOTOS: SINGAPORE CIVIL DEFENCE FORCE

Two people were assessed by a paramedic for superficial burns and breathing difficulties but both refused to be taken to hospital.

The SCDF said preliminary investigations found that the fire started in a bedroom where an e-bicycle battery was being charged. Officers put out the fire using a water jet.

 

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#11

E-bike catches fire beside Choa Chu Kang MRT station; 2nd incident involving motorised devices in 2 days

A GrabFood delivery bag can be seen mounted on the e-bike.
PHOTO: SCREENGRAB FROM FACEBOOK

Toh Ting Wei

JAN 3, 2020

SINGAPORE - An electric bicycle caught fire beside Choa Chu Kang MRT station on Friday morning (Jan 3), in the second incident involving motorised devices in two days.

Videos posted online of the incident show the e-bike engulfed in flames. Multiple small exploding sounds could be heard, with small pieces of debris flung from the burning e-bike.

A GrabFood delivery bag can be seen mounted on the e-bike.

No one was reported to be injured in the incident.

The retailer of the e-bike has alleged that the fire was due to the bike's owner installing an "unauthorised external battery".

In response to queries, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said it responded to the incident at 15 Choa Chu Kang Avenue 4 at about 10.45am.

"The fire, involving a power-assisted bicycle belonging to a member of the public, was extinguished by an SMRT staff member using a fire extinguisher prior to SCDF's arrival," it said.

SCDF is investigating the cause of the fire.

Retailer Mobot said in a Facebook post that the e-bike belonged to one of its customers.

It said the e-bike model was one that had passed the required tests and possessed the necessary safety certification.

Mr Ifrey Lai, the shop's managing director, told The Straits Times that it has contacted the customer for details of the incident.

"This fire incident was caused by the external (illegally modified) battery, which was attached onto the rear rack, catching fire while the rider was collecting the food order at a nearby restaurant," he said.

"We urge all e-bike riders to follow the Land Transport Authority's rules and not make any form of modification, especially on electrical components and battery."
ST has reached out to Grab for comment on the issue.

The incident was the second involving motorised devices in two days, after another fire involving a PMD outside a Housing Board flat on the ninth storey of Block 409 Bedok North Avenue 2.

SCDF told Chinese evening daily Lianhe Wanbao that preliminary investigations found the cause of the fire was due to a PMD that was being charged.

The paper reported that the owner of the PMD had been using the device to carry out food deliveries.

The two fires come amid a push by the authorities and food delivery firms to help riders switch from e-scooters to other modes of transport.

After mounting safety concerns triggered a ban of e-scooters from footpaths in early November 2019, the Government and the three major food delivery firms jointly launched a $7 million e-scooter trade-in grant.

Under the scheme, eligible riders can trade in their e-scooters for up to $1,000 each to switch to electric bicycles or personal mobility aids.

Illegal modifications had been flagged by experts as a major reason behind the fire safety concerns that had plagued personal mobility devices such as e-scooters in recent years.

There were 73 PMD-related fires in the first nine months of 2019, the SCDF said last month.

This number is almost equal to the 74 fires involving these devices for the whole of 2018. More of such fires have happened since September.

 

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Fires involving PABs (power-assisted bicycles) and PMDs:
2019: 115
2020: 68

Victims share their close shaves with PMD and PAB battery explosions; most fires from non-compliant devices

Adam's (not his real name) bedroom was damaged after the battery of his power-assisted bicycle exploded on July 22, 2020.
PHOTO: SINGAPORE CIVIL DEFENCE FORCE

Dominic Low

MAR 22, 2021

SINGAPORE - When the battery of his power-assisted bicycle (PAB) exploded in his bedroom on July 22 last year, Adam (not his real name) had fortunately gone to the toilet.

"I was very lucky that day... If God did not help me, I would have died inside (the room)," he told the media on Sunday (March 21).

The ensuing damage, including to the floor tiles, cost him over $3,000 to repair.

Adam, who is his 50s, said he had charged the battery earlier that day, after not doing so for about four months.

His incident was among 68 fires involving PABs and personal mobility devices (PMDs) last year, according to statistics released by the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) in February.

More than two-thirds of the fires occurred at residential premises.

While this is an overall decrease from 115 fires in 2019, such incidents still remain an area of concern for the SCDF.

"The majority of PMD and PAB fires that SCDF had responded to were found to have resulted from the use of non-compliant devices such as non-UL2272 certified PMDs, modified devices or incompatible power adaptors," the SCDF said.

Modifications included the replacement of batteries with ones not from original equipment manufacturers, the addition of extra batteries, and the changes to the electrical circuitry.

"It was also observed that the condition of disused batteries may deteriorate and become unstable over time, leading to fire outbreaks," the SCDF said.

In Adam's case, he had a non-original battery that he had purchased second-hand for $200 via online marketplace Carousell. He had used it to replace the previous battery, which was also not original, of the PAB that he had also bought second-hand for about $180 on Carousell.

Adam, who works in the construction sector, said he bought them second-hand as it was "cheap". New LTA-approved PABs can cost more than $1,000.

He had used the PAB to travel from his workplace to nearby eateries for lunch, and only brought the battery home every three days to charge it.

He stopped using the PAB in April last year, when construction work around the island halted during the circuit breaker period.

He decided to charge the battery again in July last year, in anticipation for the gradual resumption of work in August. It was then when it exploded.

The battery of Adam's power assisted bicycle exploded after he charged it earlier that day. He had bought it second-hand from online marketplace Carousell.
PHOTO: SINGAPORE CIVIL DEFENCE FORCE

Another man who works in the construction sector, Gua (not his real name) had a similar experience with his PMD.

He had stopped using his device - which was over the permitted 20kg weight limit - in 2018 and only charged its battery every four or five months to maintain the battery's capacity.

This stopped, however, when the charger was discarded during a spring clean sometime between December last year and January this year.

On Feb 14, he noticed that the flat's living room "suddenly smelled like alcohol" and traced it to fluid leaking from his PMD's battery compartment, which was very hot.
He quickly moved the device to the corridor outside his flat. Its battery exploded in a shower of sparks shortly after.

Gua's personal mobility device after its battery exploded on Feb 14, 2021.
PHOTO: SINGAPORE CIVIL DEFENCE FORCE

The corridor outside Gua's residence after the battery of his personal mobility device exploded on Feb 14, 2021.
PHOTO: SINGAPORE CIVIL DEFENCE FORCE

"It was lucky that I was there when (the battery) started to leak... and I brought it out before the thermal runaway happened," said Gua, who is in his 40s.

The SCDF urged the public to not modify their devices and, if required, to only replace components with ones from original equipment manufacturers.

"Devices and batteries, especially the non-UL2272 certified ones, which are faulty or have not been used for an extended period of time should be disposed of properly at any of the e-waste recyclers listed by the Land Transport Authority (LTA)," it said.

This can be done at any of the 80 plus collection points islandwide provided by e-waste recycler KGS. The collection programme with KGS does not charge a disposal feeand ends on June 30.

Senior Minister of State for Transport Amy Khor said earlier this month that a new import controls regime for PMDs and PABs, aimed at preventing the import of non-compliant devices, will be introduced in the first half of this year.

The authorities will continue to inspect devices regularly to deter illegal modifications, she said.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

#12

Two rescued from 7th-storey kitchen ledge after e-bike catches fire in Bedok North

The fire involved the contents of a bedroom and the corridor outside the unit.PHOTO: SINGAPORE CIVIL DEFENCE FORCE/ TWITTER
Charlotte Chong

Apr 24, 2021

SINGAPORE - A fire broke out on the seventh storey at Block 557 Bedok North Street 3 on Saturday morning (April 24), said the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) in a Facebook post.
The SCDF said it was alerted to the fire at about 10.25am and rescued two people trapped on a ledge outside the kitchen.
It said they were quickly brought in to safety through the kitchen window and then taken to Singapore General Hospital for smoke inhalation.
SCDF added about 45 residents from the affected block were evacuated by the police as a precautionary measure.
The fire involved the contents of a bedroom and the corridor outside the unit.
Firefighters from Changi Fire Station extinguished the blaze using one compressed air foam backpack and one hosereel.

SCDF said preliminary investigations into the cause of the fire indicates it was of electrical origin from a power-assisted bicycle (PAB) that was being charged at the time.

SCDF officers rescued two people trapped on a ledge outside the kitchen. PHOTO: SINGAPORE CIVIL DEFENCE FORCE/ FACEBOOK

 

[kaninabuchaojibye]

SCDF officers rescued two people trapped on a ledge outside the kitchen. PHOTO: SINGAPORE CIVIL DEFENCE FORCE/ FACEBOOK

whose red underwear?

 

[tanwahtiu]

Lithium battery is dangerous item and only use the origin maker charger. If u are not electronic qualified u bound to make mistake and cause the battery to explode and catch fire.

Good luck w EV car where it has 2,000 battery cells is a high fire ball...

 

[rushifa666]

Good job

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

Duo rescued from Bedok HDB flat's window ledge after electric bike fire

The Singapore Civil Defence Force was alerted at about 10.25am to the fire at Block 557 Bedok North Street.PHOTO: SINGAPORE CIVIL DEFENCE FORCE/FACEBOOK

Ang Qing

Apr 25, 2021


SINGAPORE - A woman and a man were rescued from a window ledge on the seventh floor following a fire at their flat in Bedok on Saturday morning (April 24).
Preliminary investigations show that the fire was caused by a power-assisted bicycle that was charging, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said in a statement on Facebook.
The pair was trapped outside the window ledge of the kitchen, with the woman clinging to a laundry rack for a few minutes according to Chinese-language evening newspapers Shin Min Daily News and Lianhe Wanbao.
They were brought to safety through the kitchen window and taken to Singapore General Hospital for smoke inhalation, SCDF said.
SCDF was alerted at about 10.25am to the fire at Block 557 Bedok North Street 3.
The fire involved the contents of a bedroom and the corridor outside the unit and was extinguished by firefighters from Changi Fire Station.

In an update, SCDF commended several members of the public who had attempted to put out the fire with a hosereel before they arrived.
"Their quick-thinking act prevented the fire from escalating," SCDF said.
About 45 residents from the block were also evacuated by the police as a precaution.
SCDF reminded the public to follow fire safety tips for power assisted bicycles and personal mobility devices, which include not leaving devices and batteries to charge unattended over an extended period of time.
Adviser to the Kaki Bukit grassroots organisation in Aljunied GRC Shamsul Kamar added in a Facebook post on Saturday that he has asked the Housing Board to arrange temporary accommodation for the residents.

It should be April, not August. Shitty Times' journalists do not proof-read and editors do not review.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

#14

State Coroner finds death of man killed in PMD-related fire an 'unfortunate misadventure'

The fire that broke out in Mr Goh Keng Soon's Bukit Batok flat was caused by battery packs that overheated as they were being charged.PHOTO: ST FILE

Shaffiq Alkhatib
Court Correspondent

May 6, 2021

SINGAPORE - The state coroner on Thursday (May 6) found the death of a 40-year-old private hire driver, who possibly was the first person to have died in Singapore following a fire linked to a personal mobility device (PMD), to be an "unfortunate misadventure".
State Coroner Kamala Ponnampalam said the case highlighted the "grave danger" of having devices that are not UL2272-certified.
The UL2272 requirement, which was developed by an independent certification company in the United States, specifies a set of safety requirements covering the electrical drive train system, including the battery system and electrical components of motorised PMDs.
The fire broke out in the wee hours of July 18, 2019, three years after Mr Goh Keng Soon bought his PMD.
All local retailers were banned from selling non-UL2272 certified motorised PMDs from July 1, 2019. All non-UL2272 certified motorised PMDs have also been banned from public paths from July 1 last year.
On Thursday, State Coroner Kamala urged PMD-users to get rid of such non-compliant devices.


The fire broke out in Mr Goh's Bukit Batok flat and it was caused by battery packs that overheated as they were being charged.
Mr Goh was unconscious when he was pulled out of his flat on July 18, 2019 and he died two days later.
Investigation officer Muhammad Eszham Sabtu had earlier told the court that Mr Goh, who suffered burns, died of multiple organ failure following a heart attack. He had coronary artery disease.
The officer told State Coroner Kamala that three PMDs were found in the living room but only one was being charged at the time. The officer also told the court that when the fire broke out, Mr Goh tried to save his two dogs. The court heard that due to the heat and smoke, he retreated to a toilet where he collapsed.

Both dogs survived the blaze.
Major Huang Weikang from the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF)had earlier testified that three people were injured following the fire, but only Mr Goh died.
The other two were his wife and a neighbour.
Major Huang believed that the fire was accidental and that the living room furniture fuelled the flames.
He told the court that the path to safety for Mr Goh might have been blocked as the burning PMD and sofa were near the front door.

As a safety precaution, he added: "Don't charge (PMDs) overnight or (charge them) unattended."
SCDF statistics released this February showed that there were 68 fires involving power-assisted bicycles (PABs) and PMDs last year.
More than two-thirds of the fires occurred on residential premises. In 2019, there were 115 such fires.
SCDF had said most of the PAB and PMD fires which it responded to were caused by the use of non-compliant devices such as non-UL2272 certified PMDs, modified devices or incompatible power adaptors.