A borrowed mobility aid erupted in flames while charging, a delivery driver and his wife fled in panic

SINGAPORE: A food delivery driver borrowed a personal mobility aid (PMA) to use for the job, but it accidentally caught fire during its first charging session. The man fortunately woke up in time to notice the blaze, prompting him and his wife to leave in panic. 

The fire happened at a HDB flat in Punggol, and when Shin Min Daily News visited the unit, it was discovered that the interior was severely damaged by the accident. Many items in the living room were blackened by the incident, and the floor was covered in ash. Furthermore, all the windows in the living room were shattered due to the high temperature of the fire. 

According to the man, he had gotten up to use the restroom when he noticed that the living room was unusually stuffy and hot. When he checked what was happening, he found that the PMA was on fire. 

“I tried to put out the fire with water, but it didn’t work; the fire only weakened slightly. I immediately rushed back into the room and pulled my wife out. After we got out and closed the wooden door, we heard several explosions inside,” the man declared. 

He shared that he did not lock the door when he went to sleep that night, which allowed them to escape in time. He also stated that he closed the wooden door to prevent the fire from spreading to other units. The Singapore Civil Defence Force arrived at the scene and extinguished the fire with a water cannon.

The couple and another female neighbour were rushed to the hospital because of smoke inhalation. Moreover, the authorities have arranged for them to stay in a unit in the Sengkang area temporarily.

Other related news

In similar news about fire, a man set a fire to the garbage chute in his HDB flat as a joke, claiming that he was being chased by creditors and wanted to frame them.

The 29-year-old suspect now faces four charges of mischievous arson and one count of intentional assault. 

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