SCDF responds swiftly to electric bicycle fire incident in Bedok

SINGAPORE: On Tuesday, 13 February, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) promptly responded to reports of a fire at a Housing Board corridor in Bedok, ignited by a Power Assisted Bicycle (PAB) left charging outside a flat.

According to an announcement posted on their official Facebook page, the incident occurred at around 3:45 am outside an 11th-floor unit at Block 202 Bedok North Street 1.

The firefighters from Changi Fire Station swiftly brought the blaze under control.

Additionally, SCDF mentioned that the occupants of the affected unit had evacuated before their arrival.

However, three individuals from the unit underwent assessment for smoke inhalation.

Subsequently, two of them were taken to Singapore General Hospital for further medical attention, while the third person declined hospitalization.

Preliminary investigations by SCDF suggest that the fire likely originated from the battery pack of the PAB, which was undergoing charging at the time of the incident.

In light of this event, the SCDF has issued a cautionary statement urging the public to refrain from charging batteries for extended periods or leaving them unattended overnight.

Moreover, SCDF emphasize the importance of using original, manufacturer-approved batteries, discouraging the use of non-original replacements

According to data revealed in parliament, there have been a declining number of  residential fires in Singapore. For 2018, 1,235. For 2019, 1,168. For 2020, 1,054. For 2021, 1,010. For 2022, it was 934.

However, for the number of electrical fires, it has remained stable over the years. For 2018, it was 288. For 2019, 293. For 2020, it went down further to 253. For 2021, it was 261. For 2022, it was 257.