2 rescued from window ledge after fire in Bedok flat caused by charging e-bike

SINGAPORE  — Two people were rescued from a window ledge by Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) firefighters after a fire broke out in a flat in Bedok on Saturday morning (Apr 24).

SCDF said it was alerted to the fire at about 10.25am at Block 557 Bedok North Street 3.

The fire in the seventh-floor flat involved contents of a bedroom and the corridor outside the unit, said SCDF in a Facebook post.

“Preliminary investigation into the cause of the fire indicates that it was of electrical origin from a power-assisted bicycle (PAB) that was charging at the time of the fire,” it added.

Firefighters from Changi Fire Station extinguished the blaze using a compressed air foam backpack and a hosereel, SCDF said.

Two people who were trapped on a ledge outside the kitchen were rescued through the window. "They were seen holding on to the metal bars used for hanging clothes," said SCDF.

The two were taken to Singapore General Hospital for smoke inhalation, said SCDF, adding that about 45 other residents were evacuated by the police as a precaution.

In its Facebook post, SCDF reminded residents of fire safety precautions for users of personal mobility devices (PMDs) and PABs.

These include examining batteries for damage and deformities; using power adaptors that carry the Safety Mark; and ensuring that PMDs and PABs - or their batteries - are not charged near combustible materials or along an escape path. CNA

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