Family of Seven Gets Locked In by a Fire‑Wrecked E‑Bike
When a fire erupted at a 16‑story Forestville executive condo on Woodlands, a seven‑person family was stuck on the roof of their eighth‑floor balcony, groaning over the stubborn digital lock that just wouldn’t cooperate.
What Happened?
- Time & place: 9.35 pm on Saturday, 34 Woodlands Drive.
- Fire trigger: An e‑bike that was being charged near the unit’s entrance. A spark from the charging mishap turned into a full‑blown blaze, frying the digital lock in the process.
- Evacuation: The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) swooped in, using an internal hose reel to extinguish the fire and get everyone out the door.
- Hospital treatment: One of the family members was rushed to Khoo Teck Puat Hospital for smoke inhalation. Thankfully, no one was seriously injured.
- Neighbour reaction: The block folks relay that the fire came from the mobility device and the whole scene looked like a “scorching ransom note” waiting to happen.
Why It’s Not a One‑Off
Personal mobility devices (PMDs) have been catching fire more often than you’d care to know.
- Last week, a Woodlands e‑scooter went up in flames after its owner unplugged it from the charger.
- From January to April this year, 16 PMD fires were reported, 10 of them involving e‑scooters.
- SCDF responded to 40 e‑scooter fires last year alone—over four times the number in 2016.
What the Authorities Are Doing
- Regulation push: Land Transport Authority is pushing amendments to the Active Mobility Act to beef up fire safety.
- New law: Proposed changes will make every e‑scooter registered and display its registration mark.
- Implementation: The rollout is slated for early next year, with details to be torn out of the legislative brief later this year.
As we all remember, a family’s holiday report cards can change dramatically if the “lock” is suddenly a brick wall. We’re hoping this means folks will finally keep their e‑bikes and e‑scooters in proper, fire‑safe mode.
