SCDF annual report reveals 31% surge in AMD-related fires in 2023

SINGAPORE: The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) released its annual report on Wednesday (21 February), revealing a 31% increase in fires involving active mobility devices (AMDs) in 2023.

The report, which provides a comprehensive overview of fire incidents and emergency medical services (EMS) calls, underscores the need for heightened awareness and preventive measures to address fire safety risks in the city-state.

According to the SCDF report, the total number of fires responded to in 2023 stood at 1,954, marking an 8.6% increase from 2022.

Among these incidents, 55 cases were attributed to fires involving AMDs, such as power-assisted bicycles (PAB) and personal mobility devices (PMD), representing a significant uptick from the 42 cases recorded in 2022.

On 13 February, a fire incident at a flat in Bedok triggered by a charging PAB resulted in two individuals being hospitalized due to smoke inhalation.

The data also revealed that the primary causes of fires in 2023 were of electrical origin and unattended cooking, accounting for 597 and 456 cases, respectively.

Despite efforts to mitigate such risks, 81 fire-related injuries and three fatalities were reported in 2023.

SCDF emphasized that fires involving AMDs remain a critical concern, especially in residential areas. SCDF urged to handle these devices with care to avert accidents that may lead to serious injuries and property loss.

Additionally, SCDF advised AMD owners to responsibly dispose of unwanted devices through authorized e-waste recyclers or collection points.

In its ongoing efforts to raise awareness, SCDF has been disseminating fire safety advisories specifically addressing AMD-related risks. These include reminders to avoid prolonged charging or unattended charging of batteries, as well as discouragement against the use of non-original batteries.

SCDF report: analysis of fire incidents and trends in 2023

According to the report, out of the 1,954 fires attended to by SCDF in the previous year, 970 were related to residential buildings. This marked an escalation from the 935 residential fires recorded in 2022.

Unattended cooking remained the leading cause, contributing to 384 fires, a 12% increase from 2022. Additionally, AMDs were involved in 35 fires of electrical origin in residential buildings, marking a 12.9% rise from 2022.

Non-building fires experienced a notable increase, totalling 580 incidents in 2023, up by 34.9% from 2022.

Vegetation fires saw a 25.5% increase, attributed to drier weather conditions.

In 2023, 91 fires linked to discarded items, marking a decrease of 8.1% from the 99 incidents observed in 2022.

“These fires typically occur in common areas, such as lift lobbies, staircase landings and common corridors,” said SCDF.

Additionally, there were 106 other fire incidents involving discarded items and 215 vehicle fires. Both experienced increases from the previous year, with rises of 165% and 5.4%, respectively.

SCDF attributed the notable surge in discarded item fires to an increase in the careless disposal of unwanted items and materials in open spaces like back alleys, areas near service roads, and grass patches.

Notably, there was a decline in non-residential building fires from 434 in 2022 to 404 last year, a reduction attributed by SCDF to the fire prevention initiatives implemented by both itself and the National Fire and Emergency Preparedness Council.

“SCDF will continue to make regular enforcement checks to ensure that these premises comply with fire safety regulations,” it said.

SCDF’s EMS response in 2023

While SCDF responded to 246,832 Emergency Medical Services (EMS) calls in 2023, representing a 3.9% decrease from 2022, the demand for EMS remained high.

The agency noted an average of 676 EMS calls daily, 30% higher than pre-pandemic levels in 2019.

Of the emergency calls, nearly 80% were medical-related, indicating the ongoing need for timely medical assistance.

SCDF reiterated the importance of reserving emergency services for genuine emergencies, as false alarm calls increased slightly in 2023 by 3.2%.

Additionally, it mentioned that the number of EMS calls is anticipated to increase over the long term beyond 2023, owing to the growing need for emergency assistance from Singapore’s aging population.