PMD battery likely sparked Jalan Kayu flat fire that sent one person to hospital, says SCDF
A resident was jolted awake by what sounded like a “loud bomb” before discovering a fire had broken out at Block 446B Jalan Kayu in the early hours of July 26.
Stomper Tiger initially “thought nothing” of the explosion-like sound and shouting he heard at around 4.30am.
“However, I later heard a fire engine with its siren on, so I went downstairs to have a look.”
The Stomper saw firefighters rushing to tackle the flames, but said one roadside fire hydrant appeared to be faulty.
“I saw one of the roadside fire hydrants not working, so they had to run to another hydrant to get water,” he said.
He added that he could not tell which unit was on fire, but heard it was on the second floor.
SCDF: Fire likely originated from PMD battery
In response to a Stomp query, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said it was alerted to the fire at about 4.35am.
The fire involved the contents of the living room of a second-floor unit.
Members of the public managed to extinguish the fire using a hose reel and a fire extinguisher before SCDF arrived.
One person was taken to Singapore General Hospital for smoke inhalation, while two others were assessed for minor injuries but declined to be taken to hospital.
Preliminary investigations indicate that the fire likely originated from the battery of a personal mobility device (PMD).
SCDF reminded the public not to purchase or use non-original batteries for PMDs and power-assisted bicycles, and to avoid charging their batteries for prolonged periods or overnight.
Explore more on these topics
See something interesting? Contribute your story to us.
