One person was sent to the hospital on Sunday (22 March) morning after a power-assisted bicycle (PAB) caught fire along Balestier Road.
A photo shared in a Facebook group for private-hire drivers showed the burning device lying on the road.
Source: Lawrence Lim via PROFESSIONAL PHV DRIVERS SINGAPORE:Grab, Gojek,Tada n Ryde on Facebook
According to the image, the PAB lay on its side in the far-left lane of Balestier Road, with flames and thick smoke rising into the air.
The location appeared to be near the junction with Jalan Datoh.
Source: Google Maps
A man was standing on the pavement, next to the burning PAB.
The person who posted the photo said the device “exploded” in front of him.
In response to queries from MS News, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said it was alerted to the fire at about 12.15am on 22 March.
It involved a PAB along Balestier Road.
SCDF extinguished the blaze using a hosereel.
One person was also conveyed to Singapore General Hospital (SGH).
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
In its latest annual statistics report released on 11 Feb, SCDF said there were 49 fires involving active mobility devices (AMDs) in 2025.
This was a 26.9% decrease from the previous year.
Source: Singapore Civil Defence Force on Facebook
Despite the drop, SCDF said such fires remain a concern, particularly in residential premises where flames can spread rapidly within confined spaces.
In a written reply to a parliamentary question on 26 Sept 2025, Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam said there were 187 fires involving AMDs over the last five years.
They represent about 4% of fires in HDB estates during that period.
He added that the authorities are considering tougher enforcement action to send a stronger deterrent signal that the use or sale of non-compliant AMDs poses significant safety risks.
Also read: PAB catches fire & explodes outside restaurant in Canberra, chef tries to put it out
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Featured image adapted from Lawrence Lim via PROFESSIONAL PHV DRIVERS SINGAPORE:Grab, Gojek,Tada n Ryde on Facebook.