'Suspected explosive item' in Hougang turns out to be AMD battery pack on fire

A video showing a police officer and a firefighter attending to a suspicious item left on a pavement in Hougang raised eyebrows.

The video caption claimed detonation was about to be performed.

@nolanolawhySuspected explosive item on the street in Hougang . Detonation is going to be performed . Stay tuned!♬ original sound - nolanola

While the video gained over 250,000 views on TikTok in a week, many viewers were discerning and were not overly-alarmed.

True enough, it was a false alarm.

Active Mobility Device battery caught fire

The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) told Mothership that they were alerted to a fire along Hougang Avenue 3 on Aug. 29.

It was actually a battery pack of an Active Mobility Device (AMD) that caught fire.

The fire was subsequently extinguished by SCDF using a fire extinguisher.

There were no reported injuries.

Non-compliant AMDs a fire hazard

Minister of State for the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) Goh Pei Ming said the government is exploring stiffer actions against owners and retailers of non-compliant AMDs, following the recent spate of residential fires.

According to SCDF's preliminary findings, the recent spates of residential fires are likely caused by either the battery packs from some AMDs or electrical faults.

Numerous fires have broken out in 2025, with some resulting in fatalities.

Notably, a fire that broke out on Aug. 13 in a flat at Jalan Bukit Merah led to the deaths of a 34-year-old man and a 32-year-old woman.

Preliminary findings pointed to a battery pack of a PMD in the living room as the possible cause.

Top image via @nolanolawhy/TikTok