In 2023, a 17-year-old boy in Yishun tragically lost his life in a fire. A coroner’s court has ruled his death as an unfortunate incident, likely caused by his modified Personal Mobility Device (PMD).
The fire broke out at around 8.50pm on 10 June 2023, in a three-room flat at Block 783 Yishun Ring Road.
The victim, identified as Alan Chua Wei Lun (name transliterated from Chinese), was alone at home at the time, according to Shin Min Daily News.
Civil defence personnel forced their way into the flat and found Alan collapsed in a room with severe burns. He was no longer breathing at the time of the rescue.
Alan was rushed to the hospital but succumbed to his injuries the following day, having suffered third-degree burns over 70% of his body.
After extinguishing the fire, authorities discovered a burnt PMD in the room. Scattered battery cells were also found.
Investigations revealed that the PMD, originally a Fiido-branded electric scooter with a 250-watt motor and a 36-volt battery, had been modified.
The motor was replaced with a 5,000-watt unit, and the battery was upgraded to a 72-volt system.
Experts explained that the absence of a battery management system (BMS) in the modified battery likely caused thermal runaway, a reaction that leads to explosions and fires.
Witnesses of the fire reported hearing a whistling sound, which is consistent with such incidents.
Source: Shin Min Daily News
Alan’s father shared that he had been using PMDs for years despite warnings to stop after earlier accidents.
The deceased’s friends further noted that he had previously mentioned battery issues.
The coroner extended condolences to Alan’s family and highlighted the dangers of modifying PMDs.
In this case, the lack of precautions led to a devastating accident that claimed a young life.
Also read: 2 Yishun HDB flats catch fire on 23 Aug, involved PMD & e-bike batteries
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Featured image adapted from Shin Min Daily News and Google Maps.
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