Fire in Punggol causes injuries, suspected to be linked to a power-assisted bicycle battery
A fire broke out in a Housing Board flat at Block 326A Sumang Walk in Punggol on October 28, 2023, leading to the hospitalization of three residents and one firefighter. The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) was alerted to the blaze at around 2:10 a.m. and arrived at the scene to find the affected unit’s occupants already evacuated.
Three residents from neighboring flats were taken to Sengkang General Hospital for shortness of breath, while a firefighter who felt fatigued during the operation was also sent to the hospital as a precaution. The firefighter was discharged the following day and given seven days of medical leave.
The fire, which was extinguished by firefighters using a water jet, is suspected to have been caused by the battery pack of a power-assisted bicycle (PAB) that was charging in the living room. The SCDF has reported an increase in fires linked to personal mobility devices (PMDs) and PABs, with 27 such incidents recorded in the first half of 2023.
As a precaution, the SCDF advises the public to avoid overcharging PMD and PAB batteries or leaving them charging overnight and to use only original batteries.
