Bedok Apartment Fire: Three Rescued, Fire Sparks Panic
On Wednesday, March 9, a blaze erupted in a three‑room flat on the fourth floor of Block 27, New Upper Changi Road in Bedok. The culprit? A personal mobility device (PMD) that was charging in the living room.
Firefighters Rush In
After getting a call around 1:15 pm, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) dispatched a crew to the scene. A resident, who had fled with his baby, reported that there were still folks inside the burning unit. SCDF officers pushed through the blaze, sliding into the fourth‑floor apartment where they found three people unconscious in a cramped room.
One of the victims wasn’t breathing, so the firefighters improvised CPR and rushed her to Changi General Hospital (CGH). A total of four people—three from the unit plus a neighbor who suffered a shoulder burn while evacuating—were transferred to CGH and Singapore General Hospital.
Neighbors Feel the Heat
- Ms. Jen Reyes (37) was at home with her husband when the lights went out. She spotted smoke and sprinted out, grateful that her five‑year‑old wasn’t home.
- Mr. Tan Eng Hok (70), a part‑time airport worker, describes how “the flames caught him off‑guard.” He and his maid rushed with buckets of water, with one bucket hit a wall of heat before they realized it was safer to flee.
- Mr. Tan Toh Guan (84) was glued to the newspaper when his wife warned him of the smoke; they evacuated immediately, deciding the best way home was to skip valuables and just get out.
Fire Blamed on PMD Charging
The investigation points to an electrical fault caused by the PMD. SCDF warns that non‑UL2272 PMDs or any tampering increases the risk of fire. Residents are urged to dispose of these devices responsibly.
Community Response
Police evacuated roughly 50 neighbors as a safety measure, and the firefighting team used just a single water jet to bring the blaze under control. Cleanup crews are still tackling charred remains on the fourth floor.
