E-Bike Battery Allegedly Sparks Fire At Block 451 Yishun Ring Road
Personal Mobility Devices (PMDs) have become a common sight in neighbourhoods around Singapore in recent years.
E-bikes or Power Assisted Bicycles (PABs) are an offshoot of that and share striking similarities, both requiring long periods of charging to function fully.
While we may often leave any charging objects aside for long periods of time, forgetting about them may lead to unfortunate outcomes.
Recently, an e-bike battery was believed to have sparked a fire in a Yishun Flat.
At least two people sustained minor burn injuries while police had to evacuate roughly 100 others in the vicinity.
E-bike battery believed to be cause of Yishun flat fire
On 1 Oct, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) shared a Facebook post about a fire that broke out at Block 451 Yishun Ring Road.
Source: Singapore Civil Defence Force on Facebook
In the early hours of Saturday (1 Oct), the SCDF was alerted to a fire on the fifth floor of the HDB block.
Upon arrival, SCDF firefighters wore breathing apparatus and entered the unit to begin firefighting and rescue operations.
Source: Singapore Civil Defence Force on Facebook
Using a water jet, they put out the flames in the living room and part of the kitchen.
Source: Singapore Civil Defence Force on Facebook
Thanks to their speedy arrival, the fire did not spread beyond these two locations.
Firefighters rescue hamsters from service yard of affected unit
The SCDF rescued five people from the unit, two of whom sustained minor burn injuries. All five were conveyed to Singapore General Hospital for medical assessment.
They also managed to save hamsters that were in multiple cages at the service yard of the unit.
Source: Singapore Civil Defence Force on Facebook
As a precaution, police officers evacuated approximately 100 residents from the third to seventh floors.
According to the SCDF, one resident had attempted to put out the fire with a fire extinguisher prior to their arrival. In recognition of his efforts, they will be in touch with the resident to commend him for his actions.
E-bike owners reminded not to charge vehicles for long periods
Citing preliminary investigations, the SCDF traced the likely source of the fire to be the battery pack of a PAB that was in the unit’s living room.
Following this deiscovery, they are reminding the public of the important safety tips they should follow when it comes to PMDs and PABs.
Source: Singapore Civil Defence Force on Facebook
This includes the dangers of charging for lengthy periods of time or even overnight.
In addition to the tips, the SCDF implores e-bike owners to buy and use only original batteries on their vehicles.
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Featured image adapted from Singapore Civil Defence Force on Facebook.
