5 evacuated after unattended charging PAB catches fire in Geylang condo

Five people were evacuated from a condo in Geylang after a charging power-assisted bicycle (PAB) caught fire on Sunday (June 21).

In response to AsiaOne's queries, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said that it was alerted to the incident at Block 9 Lorong 26 Geylang at around 5.35pm that Sunday.

Checks by AsiaOne show that the address corresponds to Casa Aerata condominium.

Based on preliminary investigations, the fire was caused by a PAB battery that was left charging in the living room of a unit on the seventh floor.

SCDF personnel managed to extinguish the fire using a hosereel and a compressed air foam backpack.

Five people from neighbouring units were evacuated by the police and SCDF as a precautionary measure and no injuries were reported.

Cai Yinzhou, MP for Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC, made a Facebook post on the same day, saying that he visited the condo after noticing the sound of sirens and smoke.

He added that the area below the burning unit was cleared in anticipation of the window, which eventually smashed from the heat.

The SCDF also reminded members of the public not to purchase or use non-original batteries for their active mobility devices, including PABs and personal mobility devices (PMDs). 

Additionally, they advised that PMD and PAB batteries should not be charged for an extended period of time or overnight.

@asiaone Five people were evacuated after a charging PAB battery caught fire in a Geylang condo unit, prompting a visit by MP Cai Yinzhou. #Singapore #Geylang #PAB #Fire #SCDF ♬ original sound - AsiaOne

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dana.leong@asiaone.com