SINGAPORE – Five people were evacuated after an unattended, charging power-assisted bicycle (PAB) caught fire in Geylang on June 21.
The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said it was alerted to the fire in 9 Lorong 26 Geylang at 5.35pm that day. A search on Google shows the location as the address of condominium Casa Aerata.
Five people from neighbouring units were evacuated by the police and SCDF as a precautionary measure. No injuries were reported.
The fire involved a battery for a PAB, which was charged unattended in the living room of a seventh-floor unit, said the SCDF.
The SCDF extinguished the fire using a hosereel and a compressed air foam backpack.
Preliminary investigations show that the fire was of electrical origin from a PAB.
In a Facebook post on June 21, MP for Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC Cai Yinzhou said he made his way to the condo after seeing smoke and hearing sirens.
He added that he cleared the area below the burning unit “in anticipation of the window”, which eventually smashed from the heat.
The SCDF reminded the public not to purchase or use non-original batteries for their active mobility devices (AMDs), including PABs and personal mobility devices (PMDs).
PAB and PMD batteries should also not be charged for an extended period of time or overnight.
In February, the SCDF said that of 304 cases of electrical fires at residential premises in 2025, 34 involved AMDs. AMDs include PMDs, PABs and personal mobility aids.
Although there were fewer AMD fires in 2025 – a drop from 67 in 2024 to 49 – the number of PMD fires increased from 25 to 31.
The SCDF’s fire safety tips for PMD and PAB users.
PHOTO: SINGAPORE CIVIL DEFENCE FORCE