A Mercedes-Benz electric vehicle caught fire near the entrance of a multi-storey HDB carpark in Woodlands on Tuesday morning, 21 July 2026.
The Singapore Civil Defence Force was alerted to the fire at Block 548 Woodlands Drive 44 at about 10.10am.
The fire involved the vehicle’s interior and was extinguished by firefighters using one water jet. No injuries were reported.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Driver Smelt Something Burning and Got Out
Media reports identified the vehicle as a red Mercedes EQA.
The driver told Shin Min Daily News that she had bought the electric vehicle for more than S$230,000 less than three years ago. She said the car had not experienced any problems before the incident.
She was preparing to leave the carpark when she suddenly noticed a burning smell.
After getting out to investigate, she saw smoke coming from inside the vehicle. She retrieved a small fire extinguisher from the car and called nearby security guards for help.
Fire Reportedly Spread Within Five Minutes
According to the driver, the fire appeared to begin in the space between the driver’s seat and the front passenger seat.
She and the security guards tried to put it out using fire extinguishers. However, the flames spread quickly, and they eventually moved away because they feared the vehicle could explode.
Videos taken at the scene showed flames coming from the vehicle and thick black smoke rising above it.
The vehicle’s interior was heavily charred after the fire. It was towed away at about 12.15pm.
It Is Not Yet Clear Whether the EV Battery Caused the Fire
Although the vehicle was electric, there has been no official finding that its high-voltage battery caused the blaze.
SCDF said only that the fire involved the interior of the vehicle and that investigations into its cause were ongoing.
The position where smoke or flames were first noticed does not, on its own, establish what started the fire.
EV Fires Remain Uncommon in Singapore
SCDF recorded 226 vehicle fires in Singapore in 2025. Four of them involved electric vehicles, representing about 1.77 per cent of all vehicle fires that year.
There were 50,025 registered electric cars, taxis and motorcycles in Singapore at the end of 2025. SCDF calculated that the four EV fires represented about 0.010 per cent of the EV population.
Battery-related electrical faults were the main cause among the four incidents, although one was not caused by battery or electrical issues.
However, those figures do not establish what caused the latest Woodlands fire.
What Motorists Should Do If Their Vehicle Starts Smoking
SCDF advises motorists who see smoke coming from their vehicle to pull over safely, turn off the engine and evacuate.
They should move more than 15 metres away and call 995, providing the vehicle’s make, model and registration number.
A fire extinguisher should be used only when the fire is still small and it is safe to do so.
Motorists should not attempt to extinguish a suspected EV battery fire. Warning signs can include popping or hissing sounds, visible sparks, a sudden large amount of grey or white smoke, and jet-like flames.
