Family of 7 trapped in Yishun flat after PMA catches fire & spreads to another PMA

Seven family members were trapped in their Yishun flat after a personal mobility aid (PMA) battery exploded and caught fire along the corridor.

The fire then spread to another PMA.

The family of seven owned three PMAs.

The incident took place on Oct. 20 at Block 756 Yishun Street 72.

Bought 3 years ago

A flat occupant, Rizwan, 30, said his household has three PMAs bought about three years ago, according to Lianhe Zaobao.

Together with the elders of the family, the household also included his two siblings and one niece.

Rizwan's elderly grandparents utilised two of the devices, while his mother, 51, used one for delivering food.

Swapped one original battery out

The PMAs were equipped with original batteries.

But Rizwan's mother had replaced the original battery with a borrowed cheap battery as she felt the one she was using did not last long enough.

However, he was unaware that she had done so initially.

He said the cheap battery cost 30 per cent the price of the original battery.

Charged battery after making delivery

The cheaper battery caught fire not long after it was charged following a delivery, the man's mother said.

A loud explosion was heard from the corridor and flames engulfed the device.

Rizwan's grandfather tried to use a fire extinguisher to put out the fire, but the fire spread quickly.

Another mobility device caught fire as a result.

The family closed the door and remained inside the flat for help to arrive.

The sons instructed their mother and grandparents to lie on the kitchen floor.

"Fortunately, no one else was seriously injured except for my four-month-old granddaughter who inhaled some smoke and choked," Rizwan's mother said.

About 25 people evacuated

The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said they were alerted to a fire at around 12:05pm on Monday.

The fire involved two PMAs along the corridor outside a second-floor unit and was extinguished using a water jet.

One person was taken to KK Women's and Children's Hospital for smoke inhalation.

About 25 people were evacuated from the affected block as a precautionary measure.

Preliminary findings indicate that the fire had likely originated from one of the affected PMAs.

SCDF reminded members of the public that motorised vehicles which are modified, not properly maintained, or charged using non-original chargers pose a fire risk.

Top photos via Goh Hanyan & Lianhe Zaobao