Power bank catches fire on train at Admiralty MRT station, commuters evacuated
An MRT commuter's power bank burst into flames when a train stopped at Admiralty station, leaving charred debris on the floor and sending one person to the hospital.
An eyewitness, Mr Lim, said in a Facebook post that the incident occurred on March 16 at about 3pm.
Speaking to Stomp, he recalled hearing a "bang" from the adjacent carriage, followed by a scream as a commuter rushed out of the train, leaving behind a cotton cardigan on the floor.
As shocked passengers alighted, Mr Lim approached the affected carriage and observed a "cloudy mist on the floor", which he believed was from a power bank.
A photo accompanying his Facebook post shows the aftermath of the incident, with pieces of an electronic device strewn across the floor and black scorch marks visible.
"Sadly the train could not continue. Station folks came into the carriage, spoke on their com-set and told us all to alight for the next train," he told Stomp.
Power bank catches fire
In response to Stomp's queries, president of SMRT Trains, Lam Sheau Kai, confirmed that the commotion was caused by a commuter's power bank catching fire.
The fire was extinguished by the commuter, and staff members attended to the situation upon arrival. First aid was also rendered to the commuter, who was sent to Woodlands Hospital shortly after. No other injuries were reported.
All passengers were asked to disembark and board the next train, and the affected train was moved to the depot for further checks, Mr Lam added.
The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) told Stomp that it received a call for assistance at 70 Woodlands Avenue 7, the address for Admiralty MRT station, at about 3.20pm that day.
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