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Fire at Choa Chu Kang flat linked to e-scooter that was being charged, 3 taken to hospital

(PHOTOS: SCDF/Facebook)
(PHOTOS: SCDF/Facebook)

SINGAPORE — A fire linked to an e-scooter took place in Choa Chu Kang on Tuesday (6 August) morning, a day after the issue of personal mobility devices (PMDs) took centre stage in Parliament.

In a Facebook post, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said that it responded to a fire at about 11.35am at a third-floor unit at Block 688A Choa Chu Kang Drive.

The fire, which involved a PMD in the living room, was extinguished by the SCDF using a compressed air foam backpack. Seven occupants had evacuated from the unit before the SCDF arrived.

An adult and child were conveyed to the National University Hospital, while another adult was conveyed to Ng Teng Fong General Hospital, all for smoke inhalation, said the SCDF.

Preliminary investigations into the cause of the fire indicated that “it was of electrical origin from the PMD, which was charging at the time of the fire”.

The SCDF reminded the public again that the Land Transport Authority encourages all PMD owners to use UL2272 certified devices. When purchasing a PMD, look out for the UL2272 certification marks, it added.

On Monday, Senior Minister of State for Transport Lam Pin Min announced that the deadline for PMD owners to ensure their devices comply with the UL2272 standard will be brought forward by six months to 1 July next year, in light of the recent spate of PMD-related fires.

Lam also noted that all PMD-related fire incidents thus far have involved non-UL2272 certified devices, and may have involved inappropriate charging practices, such as the use of incompatible chargers.

This standard improves safety against fire and electrical hazards significantly, by requiring the devices pass a stringent set of tests conducted by accredited testing centres under extreme physical conditions.

Last month, the SCDF said that fires involving PMDs and power assisted bicycles more than doubled in the first half of this year from the same period a year earlier.

The number of such reported fires between January and June rose to 54 from 24 previously. Of these incidents, 49 were related to PMDs.

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Related stories:

Transport ministry moves deadline for PMD UL2272 fire safety compliance to 1 July 2020

15 town councils to ban use of PMDs at void decks, common corridors: Lam Pin Min

Fires due to PMDs and PABs more than doubled to 54 in January-June from year ago: SCDF

At least 8 PMD-related fires in flats reported in recent months