Fire breaking out because of charging e-bikes is, unfortunately, not unheard of in Singapore.
And now, yet another HDB unit became a victim of a charging e-bike.
Here’s what happened.
E-Bike Caused a Fire at an HDB Block Along Pipit Road
On 10 Nov 2021, a fire broke out on the ninth floor of an HDB block along Pipit Road at night.
The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) was alerted to the fire at 8.05pm.
Upon arrival, the firefighters managed to put out the fire with a compressed air foam backpack.
They then damped down the area with a water hose.
90 People Had to be Evacuated
Due to this incident, 90 residents in nearby units had to be evacuated from their homes as a precautionary measure.
The corridor was damaged by heat and smoke, and two individuals were attended to for breathing difficulties.
Both refused to be sent to the hospital.
People Had Tried To Stop The Fire
Prior to SCDF’s arrival, it was reported that several people had tried to put out the fire with “buckets of water” and “a fire extinguisher”.
Unfortunately, their efforts were not effective.
SCDF, however, says it will be reaching out to these people to commend them for their “quick thinking and prompt reaction”.
According to SCDF’s preliminary investigations, the fire was caused by a charging Power-Assist Bicycle (PAB, or e-bike).
Fire Safety Tips
This isn’t the first time such a fire has occurred.
Last year, also in November, another fire took place due to a charging e-bike in Yishun Ave 11.
Two occupants of the affected unit had to be carried out by SCDF firefighters and forty residents self-evacuated.
One was sent to the hospital while the other reportedly refused.
You can read more about that incident here.
SCDF has a few tips for members of the public:
This includes:
- Using an adapter with the safety mark
- Charging on a hard, flat surface for heat dissipation
- Using PABs with EN15194 certification
- Regularly checking batteries’ conditions and keeping a lookout for deformities like bloating, corrosion or the presence of powdery residue
- Not leaving it to charge overnight unattended
- To not charge the device immediately after use
- And never, ever, tamper with the device on your own
You can read SCDF’s Facebook post in full below:
Read Also:
- Everything You Need to Know About the New Theory Test for E-Biker Riders
- New TraceTogether Update Has Different Check-In Screens to Show If You’re Vaccinated
Feature Image: Facebook (Singapore Civil Defence Force)
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