How many fires caused by charging of PMDs?

[gsbslut]

pap allow these monster devices

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

3 taken to hospital after fire breaks out in Sengkang flat; cause likely a charging PMD​

The Singapore Civil Defence Force said it was alerted to the fire at Block 443C Fernvale Road at 6.20am. PHOTOS: SCDF/FACEBOOK

Sarah Koh

May 18, 2023


SINGAPORE – Three people were taken to hospital after a fire broke out in a Sengkang flat on Thursday morning.
The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said it was alerted to the fire at Block 443C Fernvale Road at 6.20am.
Three people from the affected unit were rescued by firefighters and taken to Singapore General Hospital for smoke inhalation, said the SCDF, adding that three others from a neighbouring unit were also evacuated as a precautionary measure.
About 50 other residents from the block had self-evacuated prior to SCDF’s arrival.
The fire, which involved the contents of the living room of the fourth-storey flat, was extinguished using a water jet, said SCDF.
“Preliminary investigations indicate that the fire had likely originated from the battery pack of a personal mobility device (PMD), which was charging in the living room,” it added.
The SCDF reminded the public to take steps to prevent PMD fires, such as not leaving charging devices unattended for an extended period of time or overnight, and not to buy or use non-original batteries.

 

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Charging e-bike battery catches fire in West Coast flat; 160 residents evacuated​

Firefighters extinguished the blaze, which involved the contents of a bedroom, using a water jet. PHOTO: SINGAPORE CIVIL DEFENCE FORCE/FACEBOOK

Isabelle Liew

May 21, 2023

SINGAPORE - About 160 residents were evacuated after a fire broke out in a West Coast Housing Board flat on Saturday night.
The fire had likely originated from the battery pack of a power-assisted bicycle (PAB) which was charging in a bedroom, said the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) on Sunday.
SCDF said in a Facebook post that it was alerted to the fire in the 12th storey flat at 11.15pm.
Firefighters extinguished the blaze, which involved contents in the bedroom, using a water jet. No injuries were reported.
SCDF reminded users of PABs and personal mobility devices (PMDs) not to charge the devices’ batteries for an extended period, and also not to buy or use non-original batteries.
Fires involving active mobility devices, including PMDs and e-bikes, saw a 33.3 per cent drop from 63 cases in 2021 to 42 in 2022, SCDF’s annual statistics report for 2022 released in February showed.
At that time, SCDF attributed the decrease to the implementation of regulatory measures.


However, it also said that such fires continue to be a concern for the authorities as the devices involved are often used by those with walking difficulties.

 

[tanwahtiu]

#2

Town council cleaners, Grab riders commended for rescuing couple from fire in Yishun flat
1 of 2

(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.

Good news for fake battery sellers .... want cheap .... u die your own business...

 

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2 taken to hospital after fire breaks out in Sembawang flat​

The SCDF said that it was alerted to the fire at Block 508A Wellington Circle at about 1.40am. PHOTO: SINGAPORE CIVIL DEFENCE FORCE/FACEBOOK

Fatimah Mujibah

Jul 9, 2023

SINGAPORE - Two people were taken to hospital after a fire broke out in a Housing Board flat in Sembawang on Sunday morning.
The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said in a Facebook post that it was alerted to the fire at Block 508A Wellington Circle at about 1.40am.
When SCDF arrived, black smoke was emanating from a unit on the second floor.
SCDF said four people from the affected unit had evacuated before it arrived. Two of them were subsequently taken to Singapore General Hospital for smoke inhalation and burn injuries.
About 80 residents from the affected block were also evacuated as a precautionary measure.
“Firefighters from Yishun Fire Station wearing breathing apparatus equipment entered the smoke-logged unit. The fire, which was confined to a bedroom, was extinguished with a water jet,” said SCDF.
Preliminary investigations indicate that the fire had likely originated from the battery of a power-assisted bicycle that was charging in the bedroom, they added.

Earlier in May, three people were taken to hospital after a fire broke out in a Sengkang flat. The fire was likely to have originated from the battery pack of a personal mobility device (PMD), which was charging in the living room.
In 2021, there were 32 fires involving PMDs and 23 involving power-assisted bicycles.
The SCDF reminded the public to take steps to prevent PMD fires, such as not leaving charging devices unattended for an extended period of time or overnight, and not to buy or use non-original batteries.

 

[laksaboy]

Doesn't matter what 'certification' your piece of shit PMD has, as long as lithium is involved it is a fire risk.

If you have studied basic chemistry you would know why.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

Man charged battery packs from illegally modified PMD resulting in fire that caused mother’s death​

Madam Tay Choon Hwee died from smoke inhalation after a fire broke out in her apartment, at Block 456, Ang Mo Kio Ave 10, in 2021. PHOTO: ST FILE

Samuel Devaraj

July 31, 2023

SINGAPORE – The battery packs of the illegally modified personal mobility device (PMD) a man had just bought caught fire while they were charging in his home, leading to his 49-year-old mother’s death in 2021.
In a report dated July 25, 2023, State Coroner Adam Nakhoda ruled Madam Tay Choon Hwee’s death a misadventure.
The incident happened on March 5, 2021, at a unit on the 11th storey of Block 456 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 10.
The cause of death was certified as smoke inhalation, according to the report.
According to the report, Madam Tay’s son – named in the report only as Mr Ching – had bought the illegally modified PMD from a Mr Muhammad Shahrul Abdul Razak on March 4, 2021, for $1,400.
Mr Shahrul, who had just bought the PMD, had advertised the device on Carousell after his wife said it was too big.
The report said Mr Shahrul claimed he told Mr Ching the PMD was not compliant with Land Transport Authority (LTA) regulations.

When the pair met, Mr Shahrul gave Mr Ching two 36-volt lithium-ion battery packs, but not a charger.
Mr Ching rode the PMD home, and struggled to fit it into the lift.
At home, he removed the PMD’s battery packs at about 2am on March 5 and used a charger he already had to charge them.

Mr Ching did not have any issues with the charger, which he had used to charge four other PMDs he had previously owned.
Said the report: “He noted that the voltage of the charger and the battery packs’ voltage was the same. However, as he was ‘afraid’ to charge the battery packs, he monitored the charging process for two hours.”
As he did not notice any issues, Mr Ching went to sleep, leaving the battery packs to continue charging.
Sleeping in the same room as his mother, he was awoken by her between 5am and 6am, as she heard what sounded like explosions outside.
They approached the bedroom door and heard loud sounds. When they opened the door, they saw a fire around the PMD in the living room and the lithium-ion battery cells were popping.

As Mr Ching went to the kitchen toilet to get water to extinguish the fire, he heard his mother saying she could not see and was returning to the bedroom to call for help on her phone.
Mr Ching saw thick black smoke entering and filling the kitchen area. As it was affecting his breathing, he closed the toilet door, opened the window and shouted for help.
A member of the public called the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF), whose officers used a compressed air foam backpack and a jet hose to extinguish the blaze.
One of the officers noted the living room was full of hoarded items.

Mr Ching was found in the kitchen toilet and told officers his mother was in the bedroom.
An SCDF officer found Madam Tay lying unconscious on the floor with some items on top of her.
After paramedics performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation on her outside the unit, she was rushed to Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH), where she was pronounced dead at about 8am.
Mr Ching did not appear hurt and was also taken to TTSH.
The State Coroner noted that the modified PMD was not certified for use in Singapore.
He said the original battery pack had been removed, and the device was powered by two external battery packs.
He added that the 72-volt charger may have been incompatible with the two 36-volt battery packs, and it was possible they may have been overcharged, leading to the fire.
He said: “This case, as with several recent cases, is a timely reminder of the inherent dangers posed by modified PMDs. It would be advisable that users do not purchase PMDs that have been modified and do not undertake modifications to stock PMDs that they have purchased.
“The only PMDs that should be purchased and used should be ones that are UL-2272 certified and LTA-registered. Users should also only charge the PMDs using chargers that were supplied with the PMD.”

 

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More PAB and home fires in first half of 2023 but fewer non-emergency calls made: SCDF​

A fire that broke out in a flat at Block 443C Fernvale Road in May originated from the battery pack of a personal mobility device, which was being charged in the living room. PHOTO: SCDF
Andrew Wong

August 22, 2023

SINGAPORE – More personal mobility devices (PMDs) and power-assisted bicycles (PABs) caught fire in the first six months of 2023, compared with the same period in 2022.
The Singapore Civil Defence Force’s (SCDF) mid-year report, released on Tuesday, said there were 27 fires involving 18 PABs and nine PMDs. This compares with 22 fires involving such devices in the first half of 2022.
In May, three people were hospitalised after a fire broke out in a Sengkang flat where a PMD had been left charging in the living room.
SCDF responded to 967 fires in the first half of 2023 compared with 918 fires over the same period in 2022.
More than half of the fires, or 493 cases, occurred in homes, which included private and public-housing residences.
SCDF said cooking activities were the leading cause of fires in homes, with 205 such cases.
There was also a 40.5 per cent increase in fires involving discarded items, vegetation or vehicles in the first half of 2023, from the same period in 2022. There were 281 such cases in 2023, and 200 in 2022.

Meanwhile, SCDF responded to fewer emergency medical services (EMS) calls from January to June 2023 than in the same period in 2022. The total number of EMS calls fell to 122,269 from 128,486, a 4.8 per cent decline.
There were 114,056 emergency EMS calls in the first half of 2023, a 4.7 per cent decline from the 119,710 calls in the first half of 2022.
Non-emergency EMS calls fell by 9.8 per cent – from 5,769 in the first half of 2022 to 5,203 in the first half of 2023. False alarm calls remained fairly constant, with 3,010 in the first six months of 2023 and 3,007 in the same period in 2022.


SCDF introduced a non-dispatch policy in 2023 to cope with the demand for emergency services. The 995 operations centre assesses all emergency calls and sends ambulances only in actual emergencies.
This comes as SCDF expects more EMS calls because of Singapore’s ageing population. In 2022, SCDF responded to about 700 calls daily – a 25 per cent increase from pre-pandemic levels.

There were no figures for fire fatalities, a spokesman for SCDF said, as data on fire deaths and injuries is usually released only in its annual statistics report.
In February, SCDF reported six fire deaths in the whole of 2022, up from four in 2021.
The Straits Times reported on at least three fire deaths in the first half of 2023.
In March, a 98-year-old man died in hospital, two days after being rescued from a fire in his Pasir Ris flat. He had suffered smoke inhalation and first-degree burns.
SCDF said preliminary investigations found that the fire had an electrical origin.
In June, a 17-year-old boy died after a fire broke out in the bedroom of a Yishun flat.
About 50 people from neighbouring homes had to be evacuated.
Also in June, a 79-year-old man died in hospital after a fire at a Bukit Batok flat involving a sofa in the living room.

SCDF fire safety tips​

Discarded items​

Residents are advised not to discard items in open spaces or common areas.
Contact your town council for help to remove bulky items.
Report to your town council any cases of discarded items in common areas.

Cooking​

Do not leave cooking unattended; turn off and unplug appliances when not in use.
In an oil fire, do not pour water onto the fire. Turn off gas or electrical supply to the stove and use a lid or wet cloth to smother the fire.
Keep liquefied petroleum gas cylinders in a well-ventilated area. Ensure the supply hose is in good condition, tightly fitted and not leaking.
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Electrical appliances​

Do not overload electrical outlets with appliances.
Switch off appliances when not in use.
Do not run wires under carpets or mats; keep wires away from hot surfaces.

PMDs and PABs​

Do not leave batteries or devices charging unattended for long periods or overnight.
Do not tamper with, modify or try to repair a device on your own.
Do not buy PMDs without UL2272 certification, or PABs without EN15194 certification and the Land Transport Authority’s orange seal of approval.

 

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3 children taken to hospital after fire breaks out in Redhill flat​

The fire, which was located at the corner of the living room, was extinguished by SCDF with several buckets of water. PHOTO: SINGAPORE CIVIL DEFENCE FORCE/FACEBOOK

Amanda Lee
Correspondent

AUG 14, 2023

SINGAPORE - Three children were taken to hospital after a fire broke out in a Redhill flat on Monday morning.
The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said in a Facebook post that it was alerted to the fire in a unit at Block 71 Redhill Road at about 7.20am.
Upon arrival, residents alerted firefighters that there were occupants trapped inside the smoke-logged unit on the seventh floor.
Firefighters from Alexandra Fire Station and Marina Bay Fire Station forced their way into the unit by breaking the padlock of the metal gate.
The fire, which was located at the corner of the living room, was extinguished by SCDF officers with several buckets of water.
“While the fire was being extinguished, another team of firefighters that were searching the premises found three children inside the toilet at the back of the kitchen. The children were carried out from the unit by the firefighters and assessed by an ambulance crew,” said SCDF.
The children were taken to KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital for smoke inhalation.

Two persons from the unit managed to escape through a bedroom window before the SCDF arrived.
“They were assessed for smoke inhalation but declined to be taken to the hospital. In the midst of SCDF’s operation, five cats were also brought out of the affected unit,” said the SCDF.
As a precautionary measure, about 25 people from neighbouring units were also evacuated by the SCDF and the police.
Preliminary investigation indicates that the fire had likely originated from the batteries of two personal mobility devices (PMD) that were charging in the living room, said the SCDF.
The SCDF reminded the public to take steps to prevent PMD fires. This includes not leaving charging devices unattended for an extended period of time or overnight, and not to buy or use non-original batteries.
Fires involving active mobility devices, including PMDs and e-bikes, saw a 33.3 per cent drop from 63 cases in 2021 to 42 in 2022, according to SCDF’s annual statistics report for 2022 released in February.
At the time, SCDF attributed the decrease to the implementation of regulatory measures. But, it also said that such fires continue to be a concern for the authorities as the devices involved are often used by those with walking difficulties.

 

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Firefighters rescue 2 trapped on window ledge of Tampines flat after PMDs catch fire​

SCDF said it was alerted to the fire at Block 872A Tampines Street 86 at about 9.10pm on Oct 15. PHOTO: SCREENGRAB FROM GOOGLE MAPS
Christie Chiu

Oct 16, 2023

SINGAPORE – Firefighters rescued two people who were perched precariously on the window ledge of their fifth-floor HDB unit in Tampines after a fire broke out on Sunday.
Preliminary investigations suggest that the fire likely originated from the batteries of two personal mobility devices (PMDs) that were charging in the living room.
In a bid to escape the fire, one person climbed out of the kitchen window and stood on the ledge, while another in the bedroom climbed out and was trapped on the bedroom window ledge. Both of them were saved by the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) using an aerial rescue platform.
A third person who was initially standing on the bedroom window ledge had climbed back into the unit and was rescued by firefighters who broke in through the unit’s front door.
SCDF said it was alerted to the fire at Block 872A Tampines Street 86 at about 9.10pm that day and later extinguished the fire using a water jet.
The fire involved the contents of the flat’s living room, it added.
About 15 people from the neighbouring units were evacuated and the three people who were rescued were taken to Singapore General Hospital.

SCDF reminded the public to prevent PMD fires by not charging batteries for an extended period of time or overnight.
“Do not purchase or use non-original batteries,” it added.

 

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Three residents and one firefighter taken to hospital after fire breaks out in Punggol flat​

The SCDF were alerted to the fire at Block 326A Sumang Walk at about 2.10am on Oct 28. PHOTOS: SHIN MIN DAILY NEWS

Kolette Lim

Oct 28, 2023

SINGAPORE - Four people - three residents and a firefighter - were taken to the hospital after a fire broke out in a Housing Board flat in Punggol.
When contacted, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said they were alerted to the fire at Block 326A Sumang Walk at about 2.10am on Saturday morning.
When officers arrived at the scene, the occupants of the affected unit on the 10th floor had already evacuated.
Three residents from neighbouring units had experienced shortness of breath and were taken to Sengkang General Hospital.
A firefighter, who felt fatigued during the operation, was also taken to the hospital as a precautionary measure, said the SCDF.
“The firefighter was not part of the crew that entered the unit to conduct the firefighting operation. He is currently under observation in the hospital,” SCDF added.
The fire was extinguished by firefighters from Punggol Fire Station with a water jet.

Preliminary investigation showed that the fire was likely caused by the battery pack of a power-assisted bicycle (PAB) which was charging in the living room.
According to SCDF’s mid-year report, there were 27 fires involving personal mobility devices (PMD) and PABs in the first half of 2023, an increase from 22 such cases in the first half of 2022.
“To prevent PMD and PAB fires, the SCDF would like to remind the public not to charge the batteries for an extended period of time or leave them charging overnight.
“In addition, do not purchase or use non-original batteries,” said the SCDF.

To prevent PMD or PAB fires, the public should not to charge the batteries for an extended period of time or leave them charging overnight. PHOTO: SINGAPORE CIVIL DEFENCE FORCE

 

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3 people taken to hospital after 2 fires in Toa Payoh in 2 days​

The SCDF said it was alerted to a fire at a sixth-storey Housing Board flat at Block 63 Lorong 5 Toa Payoh at about 9pm. PHOTO: SHIN MIN DAILY READER

Yong Li Xuan

Nov 3, 2023

SINGAPORE - Two people were taken to hospital after a flat in Toa Payoh caught fire on Thursday night.
The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said it was alerted to a fire at a sixth-storey Housing Board flat at Block 63 Lorong 5 Toa Payoh at about 9pm.
Four occupants had evacuated from the affected unit before firefighters arrived.
The blaze, which broke out in the living room, was extinguished by firefighters using a compressed air foam trolley, SCDF said.
Two people from the affected unit were taken to KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital, it added.
SCDF said preliminary investigation showed the fire had likely originated from the battery pack of a Personal Mobility Aid that was charging in the living room.
Shin Min Daily News reported on Friday that the exterior of the flat and part of the corridor were blackened with soot, and technicians were seen repairing damaged wires in the corridor.

Shin Min said a 15-year-old boy and his mother returned to the flat on Friday morning to clean up. The teenager said he was in the living room when the fire broke out, while his parents and his two-year-old sister were in a bedroom.
He told Shin Min that the battery pack had suddenly caught fire in the living room, but as it was closer to the bedroom, he rushed downstairs to get help. When he returned, his family had already evacuated from the flat.
He added that his father and a neighbour tried to extinguish the fire with water but to no avail.

The exterior of the flat and part of the corridor were blackened with soot, and technicians were seen repairing damaged wires in the corridor. PHOTO: SHIN MIN DAILY READER
Separately, there was another fire that broke out in a rubbish chute of a condominium in Toa Payoh on Friday.
SCDF said it was alerted at about 12.30pm to a fire at 25 Lorong 3 Toa Payoh, which is where Trevista is located.
The blaze erupted in a rubbish chute.
A security officer had put out the fire using a fire extinguisher before firefighters arrived, SCDF said.
The security officer was assessed by an SCDF paramedic for smoke inhalation and taken to Singapore General Hospital, it added.

“I heard some commotion downstairs around lunchtime,” said an 84-year-old resident living on the 13th level who wanted to be known only as Mr Mak.
“It didn’t seem serious, so I returned to my mahjong game.”
A domestic helper, who declined to be named, told The Straits Times that she saw the security officer who “kept coughing”, possibly due to the smoke from the fire.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

35 residents evacuated after charging e-bike battery catches fire in Lavender flat​

The fire, in the living room, was extinguished with a water jet. PHOTOS: SCDF/FACEBOOK

Yong Li Xuan

Dec 12, 2023

SINGAPORE – Some 35 people evacuated from a Housing Board block in the Lavender area after a fire, believed to be caused by a charging e-bike battery, broke out at a flat on Dec 11.
The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said it was alerted to the blaze at Block 463 Crawford Lane at about 11.50pm.
Firefighters from Kallang Fire Station arrived to see black smoke billowing out of a unit on the 15th floor, said the SCDF in its Facebook post on Dec 12.
SCDF said it made a forced entry into the flat, which had no occupants at the time.
The fire, in the living room, was extinguished with a water jet.
About 35 residents from the affected block had evacuated before SCDF officers arrived, and no injuries were reported.
Preliminary investigations found that the fire had originated from a battery pack of a power-assisted bicycle that was being charged in the living room.

SCDF reminded users of personal mobility devices or power-assisted bicycles not to charge the devices’ batteries for an extended period of time, and not to buy or use non-original batteries.
There were 27 fires involving such devices in the first half of 2023, an increase from 22 fires during the same period in 2022, SCDF’s mid-year report released in August showed.
In May, three people were hospitalised after a fire broke out in a Sengkang flat where a personal mobility device had been left charging in the living room.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

‘So scared, my legs went numb’: Electric bicycle sparks blaze in Bedok HDB corridor​

The fire occurred outside an 11th-floor unit at Block 202 Bedok North Street 1. PHOTOS: SCDF

A worker from the town council cleaning the charred corridor outside the affected unit.

Christie Chiu

FEB 13, 2024

SINGAPORE - Ms Eileen See had woken up at around 3am on Feb 13 to use the toilet when she was startled by a loud bang.
After rushing out of her unit on the 11th floor of Block 202 Bedok North Street 1, she saw a raging blaze and black smoke billowing near the unit next door.
The 63-year-old cleaner immediately called the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) for help before evacuating.
The fire left the 11th-floor corridor of the Housing Board block in a charred mess.
SCDF said it was alerted at 3.45am to the fire, and that the occupants of the affected unit had evacuated the flat by the time its rescuers arrived.
Three of the occupants were assessed for smoke inhalation, and two were taken to Singapore General Hospital. One person declined to be taken to hospital.
Preliminary investigations suggest that the fire had likely originated from the battery pack of a charging powered-assisted bicycle (PAB) which was left charging outside the unit.

Residents The Straits Times spoke to said that the occupants were a Thai family of four and that one of the family members used the PAB as a food delivery rider.
When ST arrived at the scene at around 5pm, the incident site had already been cleaned by town council workers. Electrical wiring and lights along the corridor which had been damaged by the fire had also been replaced.
There was also no significant damage inside any of the units.

However, the walls and ceilings of about five units were still blackened with soot. The affected unit’s windows had almost completely melted or shattered, leaving only the frames intact.
The affected floor consists of 10 units of three-room flats.
Ms See, who returned to her home only at around 5am after being told by rescuers that it was safe to do so, said that the electricity in her flat was out for about 12 hours.

A worker from the town council cleaning the charred corridor outside the affected unit. ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM
When ST visited Ms See, she said she still had no gas, and pointed out that she shares a now-melted gas pipe with the affected unit.
Another resident from a neighbouring unit, who declined to be named, said she was woken up at around 3am by her daughter-in-law who also heard the loud sound.
Speaking to ST in Mandarin, she described the scene as chaotic and added: “I was so scared, (that) my legs went numb.”
She also said she helped a woman in her 20s from the affected unit with burn injuries and a soot-covered face evacuate.
Another neighbour, who wanted to be known only as Ms Ng, said that four residents sought shelter in her home, about five units away from the affected flat, as it was not in immediate danger.
One of the neighbours she took in was a resident of the affected unit, said Ms Ng. She had run over barefoot while covering her five-year-old daughter in a blanket.
“She kept saying ‘my house, my house’ and asked for some water,” Ms Ng, 55, said, adding that the woman seemed to be having a difficult time breathing while the child was in a state of shock.
Ms Ng also said that a few residents had tried to help put out the fire.
A domestic helper, who lives in the unit directly above the affected unit, said residents on the 12th floor were also made to evacuate. The electricity in her unit also went out for about four hours.
To prevent personal mobility devices and PAB fires, the SCDF reminded the public not to charge the batteries overnight or for extended periods.
SCDF also urged people not to purchase or use non-original batteries.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

Fires involving active mobility devices rise again; total number of blazes up 8.6% in 2023: SCDF​

These fires increased by 31 per cent to 55 cases in 2023, up from 42 fires in 2022. PHOTO: ST FILE
Christine Tan

FEB 21, 2024

SINGAPORE - More fires involving active mobility devices (AMDs) raged in 2023 compared with 2022, marking the rise of such blazes again after three years.
These fires – involving personal mobility devices (PMDs), power-assisted bicycles (PABs) and personal mobility aids – increased by 31 per cent to 55 cases in 2023, up from 42 fires in 2022.
In June 2023, a 17-year-old boy died after a fire broke out in a Yishun flat. It had started from a PMD.
The latest numbers reverse the trend in AMD fires, which had been steadily dropping from 2019 to 2022.
The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said such fires were a key fire safety concern in releasing its annual statistics report on Feb 21.
It said: “Members of the public are reminded to remain vigilant when handling their AMDs, as these fires can result in serious injuries and damage to property.”
Assistant Commissioner (AC) Michael Chua, director of SCDF’s operations department, said at SCDF’s press briefing that such fires persist despite regulatory measures.

“Several (fires) are due to people tampering with the batteries, because they are using the PMDs for delivery... many of them have been tampering to increase the duration and usage for these batteries,” said AC Chua.
There were more fires in 2023 with 1,954 cases in total, an 8.6 per cent increase from 1,799 cases in 2022.
The top two causes were electrical fires and unattended cooking, with 597 and 456 cases respectively.


The majority of AMD blazes – a type of electrical fire – happened in homes, with 35 cases in 2023.
On Oct 28 that year, three residents and a firefighter were taken to hospital after a fire broke out in an HDB flat at Block 326A Sumang Walk, most likely caused by the battery pack of a PAB charging in the living room, SCDF had said then.
On Feb 21, the SCDF said it would continue to disseminate fire safety advisories on AMD fires to the public. The advice includes not leaving batteries charging overnight and not buying non-original batteries.

The SCDF revealed its annual statistics for 2023 at a press briefing at its Ubi headquarters on Feb 21. ST PHOTO: GIN TAY
Meanwhile, fire injuries fell from 171 to 81, and deaths from eight to three from 2022 to 2023.
Two of the other fatal fires also happened at flats.
In June 2023, a 79-year-old man died after a fire broke out at a Bukit Batok flat involving a sofa in the living room. The fire originated from lit material in the living room, said SCDF.
In July 2023, a man in his 80s died after being taken to hospital, after a fire broke out in his unit at Block 34 Cassia Crescent in Geylang. The fire originated from a power point in the kitchen, said SCDF.
The fall in the number of people injured by fires was partly because the definition of fire injuries was changed from people whom paramedics treated at the scene to only people taken to hospital by the SCDF.
There were also more blazes on the roads or in open spaces.
Fires involving discarded items at such areas surged 165 per cent from 40 cases in 2022 to 106 in 2023.
SCDF said this could be due to a rise in indiscriminate disposal of unwanted items in back alleys, and areas near service roads and grass patches. It said it would step up enforcement checks and public education efforts for such fires.
In January 2023, a supervisor of a moving company dumped unwanted furniture at a secluded spot in Kheam Hock Road, off Lornie Highway, when he had been told to move it to a recycling facility. He was fined $8,000.
Vegetation fires increased by 25.5 per cent to 133 cases in 2023 from 106 in 2022, which SCDF said could be due to drier weather conditions.
The Meteorological Service Singapore had said that 2023 was Singapore’s joint fourth-warmest year on record, with the last nine months of the year clocking above-average temperatures.

SCDF’s report showed there were 246,832 emergency calls in 2023, a 3.9 per cent drop from 256,837 calls in 2022, when demand spiked due to multiple waves of Covid-19 variants.
Of the 2023 calls, 10,724 were non-emergency calls, a 7.1 per cent drop from 11,538 in 2022.
SCDF introduced a non-dispatch policy in 2023 to cope with the demand for emergency services. The 995 operations centre assesses all emergency calls and sends ambulances only in actual emergencies.
Senior Assistant Commissioner (SAC) Yong Meng Wah, SCDF’s director of emergency medical services, said the policy has been helpful in reducing the unnecessary dispatch of ambulances, and encouraged members of the public to not call SCDF in non-emergencies.
But false alarm calls increased by 3.2 per cent to 6,285 cases in 2023, from 6,089 in 2022.
SCDF said while this was lower than pre-pandemic levels in 2019, it was still a concern as every false alarm call took away an available resource for an emergency.
A man who allegedly made false reports about emergencies, including on attempted suicides and fires, to the police and SCDF hotlines, was charged in court in September 2023.
He allegedly made 31 calls within a month, and his lawyer said he has a mild intellectual disability.
SAC Yong said most false alarm calls were made out of genuine concern from members of the public, such as thinking someone had fainted when they were only resting.
Said SAC Yong: “I would like to urge members of the public who come across any patients that require help not to hesitate to call 995. But do help us to verify the condition of the patients to ensure it’s an emergency.
“If it is found to be a non-emergency, you can help us by calling 995 again to cancel the call so we don’t deprive scarce resources needed for real emergencies.”

 

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3 people taken to hospital after charging PMA catches fire in Clementi flat​

The Singapore Civil Defence Force said it was alerted at about 2.10pm to a fire at Block 706 Clementi West Street 2. PHOTO: SINGAPORE CIVIL DEFENCE FORCE/FACEBOOK

Yong Li Xuan
UPDATED

MAR 19, 2024

SINGAPORE - Three people were taken to hospital after a charging personal mobility aid (PMA) caught fire in a flat in Clementi on March 19.
The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said in a Facebook post that it was alerted at about 2.10pm to a fire at Block 706 Clementi West Street 2.
When SCDF officers arrived, black smoke was billowing from a unit on the fourth floor, it added.
Firefighters from Clementi Fire Station used a water jet to extinguish the blaze, which broke out in a room, SCDF said.
The living room was also damaged by the heat and smoke from the fire.
The occupants of the unit had evacuated before the SCDF officers’ arrival. Three people from the unit were assessed for smoke inhalation and taken to Singapore General Hospital, SCDF said.
A preliminary investigation showed that the fire had likely originated from a PMA that was charging in the room, it added.

SCDF warned the public that “motorised devices that are modified, not properly maintained or do not use the original chargers are fire risks”.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

Fire caused by battery of power-assisted bicycle damages 3 stalls at Redhill market​

The fire involved a power-assisted bicycle parked near a market stall, and was extinguished by firefighters from the Central Fire Station. PHOTO: SCDF/FACEBOOK

Michelle Chin

MAR 20, 2024


SINGAPORE - A fire in Jalan Bukit Merah, likely to have started from the battery pack of a power-assisted bicycle (PAB), caused damage to three market stalls on March 19.
There were no reported injuries, according to a Facebook post by the Singapore Civil Defence Force.
SCDF said that they were alerted to a fire at Block 112 Jalan Bukit Merah, which is a market and food centre.
The fire involved a PAB parked near a market stall on the first floor, they added, and was extinguished by firefighters from the Central Fire Station.
A preliminary investigation indicated that the fire had likely originated from the battery pack of the PAB, said SCDF.
The incident took place about three hours after a similar one involving a charging personal mobility aid that caught fire in a flat in Clementi, and resulted in three people being taken to hospital.
To prevent fires involving personal mobility devices and PABs, SCDF reminded the public not to leave batteries or devices charging for a prolonged period or charging them unattended overnight. They are also advised not to purchase or use non-original batteries.

The number of fires involving active mobility devices rose by 31 per cent in 2023 compared with 2022, marking the rise of such blazes again after three years.