One person dies after PMD fire in Jurong West flat; 2 others rescued

SINGAPORE – One person was found dead in a bedroom after a fire broke out in a Housing Board flat in Jurong West, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said on Friday (Oct 8).

Preliminary investigations revealed that the fire was of electrical origin from a personal mobility device (PMD).

The SCDF were alerted to a fire on the fifth storey in Block 978 Jurong West Street 93 at 2.25am on Friday. Two people were seen standing on a ledge outside a unit.

The firefighters broke into a bedroom of the flat to rescue the two people.

The fire, which involved the contents in another bedroom, was extinguished with one water jet.

A person was found in that bedroom and pronounced dead at the scene by a SCDF paramedic.

Another occupant had evacuated the unit before the SCDF arrived.

About 60 residents from neighbouring units were evacuated by the police.

Two firefighters were assessed by paramedics to have experienced heat exhaustion and sent to Ng Teng Fong General Hospital. They have since been discharged.

In the Facebook post, SCDF reminded the public on the prevention of PMD fires with safety tips in an infographic.

SCDF added that non-UL2272 PMDs pose a fire risk and owners are strongly encouraged to dispose of their devices at recyclers.

Visit this website to find out the disposal locations.

Only UL2272 motorised PMDs are allowed on cycling paths.