Man taken to hospital after battery pack in personal mobility device catches fire
SINGAPORE: A man in his 40s was taken to Tan Tock Seng Hospital for smoke inhalation after his flat in Toa Payoh caught fire on Wednesday (Feb 27), the Singapore Civil Defence Force said.
In a Facebook post, SCDF said that the fire started from the battery pack of a personal mobility device (PMD) that was being charged at the time.
An off-duty SCDF officer from Tuas View Fire Station, Staff Sergeant Yahafiz bin Mustafa, noticed the fire at Block 103 Lor 1 Toa Payoh at about 3.20pm. He then grabbed a fire extinguisher, kicked the door to the unit open and put out the fire.
Photos shared on SCDF's Facebook page showed the charred electrical bicycle in the unit. Black soot and the burnt battery pack can be seen on the floor.
Several wires can be seen dangling nearby as well.
SCDF also reminded PMD users to avoid overcharging the battery or leaving the battery to charge overnight.
"When charging such batteries, place them on hard flat surfaces to allow optimal dissipation of heat. Do not place the charging battery near combustible materials," SCDF added.
Source: CNA/ng