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Over 70% of residential AMD fires between 2022 and 2025 involved uncertified, modified devices
David SunMon, 12 January 2026 at 9:15 pm SGT
4 min read
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There was renewed concern in Parliament on Jan 12 over fires and incidents involving AMDs.
SINGAPORE – Fires involving active mobility devices (AMDs) burn hotter and more rapidly, and their disproportionate impact is deeply concerning.
Minister of State for Home Affairs Goh Pei Ming told Parliament on Jan 12 that while such devices accounted for less than 5 per cent of residential fires in the past five years, they caused more than 10 per cent of fire-related injuries and 25 per cent of fatalities.
Also, between 2022 and 2025, more than 70 per cent of such fires involved illegally modified devices or those not tested and certified.
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There was renewed concern in Parliament on Jan 12 over fires and incidents involving AMDs.
MPs filed seven questions regarding fires, while Workers’ Party Non-Constituency MP Andre Low moved an adjournment motion on fire safety in homes.
Mr Low said some residents have shared with him their fears about their neighbours’ AMDs, which were being charged right by their front door.
He said: “(These AMDs are) a ticking time bomb that might one day trap them within their own homes. Not much can be done to assuage their fears today, because as it stands, such charging practices are by and large permitted.”
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He also said more can be done to help those who live in older flats, which may be densely packed and have more enclosed corridors.
Responding to some of the questions and to Mr Low’s motion, Mr Goh said the increase in residential fires should be seen in the context of more flats having been built.
So, while residential fires increased from 968 in 2024, to 1,051 cases in 2025, the situation had remained stable.
In this light, the percentage of fires for the total dwelling stock has gone down in the last five years, from 0.067 per cent in 2021 to 0.065 per cent in 2025.
The number of fatalities has also remained low, with fewer than six on average per year in the past five years.
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Singapore’s overall fire fatality rate is among the lowest internationally, he added.
But AMDs remain an area of concern.
Mr Goh said: “The lithium-ion batteries pose fire risks and hazards, and that can result in AMD fires burning hotter and spreading more rapidly.
“The risks are even higher with devices that do not comply with relevant safety standards.”
On Jan 3, 20 people were evacuated from a block in Bukit Purmei, near Telok Blangah, after a fire involving a power-assisted bicycle broke out in one of the flats there, while four people were taken to hospital on Jan 9 following a fire in a Tampines flat that was likely caused by a personal mobility aid.
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On Aug 13, 2025, two people died following a fire in Jalan Bukit Merah believed to have started from a personal mobility device battery pack in the living room of a flat.
Mr Goh said the Government takes a strict enforcement approach towards the import, sale and use of non-compliant AMDs.
He also noted that in the last five years, the Land Transport Authority handled over 5,000 cases of non-compliant AMDs and took action against offenders including riders, owners and retailers.
The Land Transport and Related Matters Bill was read for the first time during the Jan 12 sitting, proposing enhancements to fire safety in relation to AMDs.
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These include mandatory registration of all new mobility scooters sold, and making it an offence to keep non-compliant e-scooters.
Currently, it is an offence to use such devices that are not UL2272-certified, but not an offence to keep one, despite the severe fire safety risks.
Mr Goh said the Ministry of Transport is looking to strengthen regulations on the online sale of AMDs, with plans to amend the law later in the year.
Giving an overview of Singapore’s residential fire situation, he said the top three causes here in the past five years were unattended cooking, fires of electrical origin, and those arising from naked light.
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Unattended cooking accounted for a third of all residential fires.
Mr Goh said: “This means that the majority of fire incidents stem from human behaviour and practices, and are preventable.”
Questions from Mr Alex Yam (Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC), Mr Fadli Fawzi (Aljunied GRC) and Mr Liang Eng Hwa (Bukit Panjang) touched on the fire in Hong Kong’s Tai Po district.
The tragedy in November 2025 saw a fire that blazed through the Wang Fuk Court apartment complex for over 40 hours, leaving 161 dead and 79 injured.
Mr Goh said the Government is reviewing the incident and studying whether regulations for construction works and maintenance of residential buildings here need to be strengthened.
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The outcome of the review will be announced in due course, he said, noting that the use of bamboo as scaffolding is not allowed in Singapore.
Community preparedness is the best defence against home fires, he added.
“Ultimately, fire safety is a collective responsibility. Only when everyone comes together and remains vigilant will we be able to further bring down the incidence of fires.”
