Passengers evacuate from smoke-filled train at Tanjong Pagar MRT station due to power bank incident

Passengers on a Pasir Ris-bound train on the MRT's East-West Line (EWL) were evacuated on Friday (Dec 5) after smoke was found emitting from a passenger's power bank.

The incident was posted on XiaoHongShu by a user surnamed Liu. 

According to Liu, the train was at Tanjong Pagar MRT station when a passenger's power bank started to emit smoke.

The commuter added that there were no flames or explosions.

Another passenger pressed the emergency communication button and staff arrived swiftly to assist with the evacuation, with a new train arriving within five minutes of the incident.

Liu shared that the incident was a "rare sight". It was also the first time Liu had witnessed the emergency communication button being activated. 

The commuter praised SMRT: "Accidents are inevitable but it matters that they were able to handle the incident swiftly and efficiently. The passengers also did not panic."

Responding to AsiaOne's queries, SMRT Trains President Lam Sheau Kai said that station staff responded immediately after the emergency communication button was activated on the train.

"Our station staff responded immediately and discovered that smoke was emitting from a commuter's power bank.

"As the safety of our commuters is SMRT's top priority, our staff promptly guided all passengers on board to disembark safely. No injuries were reported," he said, adding that train services were not affected.

The station's smoke evacuation system was also activated to expel the smoke, while the affected train was subsequently sent to the depot for further checks.

In response to AsiaOne's queries, the Singapore Civil Defence Force said that its assistance was not required for the incident. 

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editor@asiaone.com