Family says phone that sparked while charging caused fire at Toa Payoh HDB flat

SINGAPORE: A fire broke out at a Housing & Development Board (HDB) flat at Toa Payoh before noon on Monday (Jul 14). Fortunately, an elderly woman and her two grandchildren were able to leave the flat in time to escape serious injury. Two of them were evaluated for smoke inhalation, however.

While one was brought to KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital, the other declined to be sent there.

According to its Facebook post, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) received an alert concerning the fire at a unit on the 12th storey at Block 194 Kim Keat Avenue at around 11:50 a.m. on Jul 14.

When SCDF officers arrived on the scene, they saw that one of the bedrooms in the unit had caught fire, which they were able to extinguish using a water jet. However, the fire caused the rest of the unit, as well as the corridor area outside the unit, to sustain heat and smoke damage.

Around 60 people living in the block were evacuated by the SCDF officers as a precautionary measure.

The SCDF added in its post that its preliminary findings indicated the fire likely originated from an electrical source in the affected bedroom.

“To prevent such fires, SCDF would like to remind the public:

a)  Do not overload electrical outlets with electrical appliances;

b) Always switch off appliances when they are not in use;

c) Check the condition of wires regularly. Frayed wires or cracked cords should be replaced or repaired immediately.

d) Do not run wires under carpets or mats, and keep wires away from hot surfaces;

e) Use only appliances and electrical plugs bearing the Safety Mark. The categories of appliances can be found at http://www.consumerproductsafety.gov.sg;

f) Do not leave batteries or devices charging unattended for an extended period of time, or leave it charging overnight,” SCDF added in its post.

Lianhe Zaobao spoke to the family affected by the fire, who told them that a phone belonging to a Ms Liu had been charging at the time of the incident. Ms Liu’s 70-year-old mother was at home, along with her 15-year-old niece and 6-year-old nephew.

As the phone was charging, it began to spark, emitting smoke. When Ms Liu’s mother saw this, she immediately alerted her grandchildren so they could leave quickly. While they were able to do so, the family unfortunately suffered losses from the fire, including their pet cat, who died.

The older woman said she was sure it was the phone that caught fire, and not the socket where it was plugged. Ms Liu added that the phone had been purchased less than six months ago. /TISG

Read also: Jurong West landlord evicts tenant after his power bank catches fire & causes damage