One taken to hospital after fire breaks out at Bedok North Road flat
A person who suffered from smoke inhalation was taken to hospital after a fire broke out in HDB flat on Sunday. The fire was likely caused by a power-assisted bicycle (PAB) charging in his bedroom.
The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said it was alerted to a fire at Block 108, Bedok North Road at about 11.35am. The affected victim had already self-evacuated his second-floor unit by then.
In a Facebook post on Sunday afternoon, the SCDF said that it extinguished the fire using a water jet. Nobody else was found inside the affected unit.
It added that another person from a neighbouring unit was also assessed for smoke inhalation, but refused to be taken to hospital.
About 50 residents from the third to sixth floors were evacuated by the police as a precautionary measure.
East Coast GRC MP Cheryl Chan Wei Ling told The Straits Times on Sunday afternoon that affected residents will be rendered assistance.
“I’m heartened that neighbours looked out for one another and assisted the elderly or those with mobility challenge to evacuate when the fire broke out,” she said.
SCDF would like to remind the public on the prevention of personality mobility devices (PMD) and PAB fires, including not to charge batteries for an extended period of time or overnight, and not to purchase or use non-original batteries.
Fire safety tips for PMDs and PABs from the SCDF
Do not
- Charge a PAB, PMD or its batteries near combustible materials or along an escape path
- Leave charging batteries or devices unattended for an extended period of time or overnight
- Charge the PAB or PMD immediately after use
- Tamper, modify, or attempt to repair a PAB/PMD on your own
Do
- Use a power adapter that carries the Safety Mark and is recommended by the manufacturer
- Charge the PAB or PMD on a hard, flat surface to allow optimal dissipation of heat
- Regularly examine batteries for any damage or deformities
- Purchase PMDs with the UL2272 certification mark and PABs with the EN5194 certification
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