PUBLISHED ONOctober 19, 2026 7:57 AMBYSean LerA personal mobility aid (PMA) caught fire at the staircase landing of an HDB block in Yishun on Sunday (Oct 18) morning, resulting in the evacuation of over 50 people.
The incident, which happened at Block 438 Yishun Avenue 11 at about 9.05am, caused electricity disruption to two adjacent flats.
Footage of the incident shared with AsiaOne shows black smoke billowing from the third floor common area, while a police cordon is placed around the ground floor walkway, below the affected area.
Residents are seen waiting at the void deck of the opposite HDB block as firefighters tackle the blaze.
Photographs of the aftermath shared by Senior Parliamentary Secretary Syed Harun Alhabsyi, who is also MP for Nee Soon Link division in Nee Soon GRC, show paint blistering on the walls and ceiling at the staircase landing.
An electrical trunking leading to what appears like a common area lighting is charred.
A grassroots volunteer for the area, surnamed Yee, was overheard telling fellow residents that the device may have been allegedly left charging at the staircase landing when the fire broke out.
The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said in response to media queries that its officers extinguished the fire at a common area on the third level using a compressed air foam trolley, adding that there were no reported injuries.
Preliminary investigations indicated that a PMA was the source of the fire.
According to MP Syed Harun, the Nee Soon Town Council immediately carried out repair works and electricity supply to the affected units was restored at 4pm.
He also expressed his appreciation to SCDF for its swift response and grassroots volunteers for their support.
"The safety and well-being of our residents remain our priority. I also encourage everyone to stay mindful of fire safety in our daily lives," the MP said.
During firefighting operations, the police said they arrested a 57-year-old man for drunkenness.
He is alleged to have caused a scene by shouting, refusing to comply with police officers who engaged him.
He is not believed to have been involved in the PMA fire incident.
Last year, a total of 304 cases of electrical fires took place at residential premises.
Of these, 49 cases involved active mobility devices (AMDs) including power-assisted bicycles (12 cases), personal mobility devices (31) and PMAs (6).
While there was a decrease in fires involving AMDs, SCDF said it remains an area of concern — especially for those that occur at residential premises, due to its rapid fire spread within confined spaces.
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