News
Power bank catches fire in MRT near Tanjong Rhu station, commuters safely disembark at yet-opened Founder's Memorial station
The affected train was not damaged, but it was taken out of service for further checks as a precaution.
May 23, 2026, 03:01 PM
Photos from Pranav Gour and Canva
An MRT train travelling along the Thomson-East Coast Line had to make an emergency stop after a commuter's power bank caught fire.
It happened at about 9:40pm on May 21, when the train had moved off from Tanjong Rhu station, said the president of SMRT Trains, Lam Sheau Kai, in response to Mothership's queries.
A commuter activated the passenger emergency call (PEC) button, prompting the train to stop automatically at the next station, where all commuters safely disembarked.
This station was the Founders' Memorial station, a new station yet to open to the public, between Tanjong Rhu and Gardens by the Bay stations.
Lam said that SMRT staff at the station promptly responded and saw that smoke was coming from a commuter's power bank.
'Commotion'
Mothership reader Pranav Gour, one of the commuters on board the train, said that the power bank had "burst".
He recalled a "commotion" on the train, as people headed to the back of the train in a hurry, alerting everyone that there was smoke.
He added that the SMRT staff handled the situation well, and asked the commuters if they required medical assistance.
They also spoke to the woman whom the power bank belonged to, and made sure she was taken care of, according to Pranav.
A new train arrived at around 9:50pm to allow the affected passengers to continue their journey, he said.
Extinguished by SMRT staff
The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) was alerted to the scene at about 9:40pm.
In response to Mothership's queries, SCDF said there was a fire involving a power bank, and it was extinguished by an SMRT staff member using a fire extinguisher before SCDF arrived.
Lam said that a staff member had a minor cut on his finger and received first aid.
No other injuries were reported.
Train taken out of service
The incident did not cause damage to the train or any other equipment, Lam said.
Nonetheless, as a precaution, the affected train was subsequently taken out of service for further checks by SCDF and the SMRT maintenance team.
He reminded commuters to ensure their power banks have proper safety protection features and are in good condition to reduce the risk of such incidents.
