An HDB flat at Tampines caught fire on Tuesday because a battery pack of a Personal Mobility Device (PMD) that was being charged in the living room of the flat started the fire. SCDF confirmed that an elderly woman who was a neighbouring resident of the 10th floor unit at Blk 240 Tampines Street 21 was taken to hospital for smoke inhalation.
It was not known how the PMD battery pack caught fire in the first place, but SCDF advised the public that PMD batteries need to be examined thoroughly for damage or deformities, such as bloated, corroded, or powdery batteries. PMD batteries that are being charged also should not be placed near combustible materials, as these are easy fire hazards.
Investigations are still ongoing for the Tampines fire.
