PMD explodes in children's bedroom of Bukit Batok flat

[Kb27]

PMD explodes in children's bedroom of Bukit Batok flat

She was in the living room watching television with her parents and two children when she heard four blasts from the children's bedroom.

The 29-year-old, who wanted to be known only as Ms Ainn, a patient care worker, told Chinese-language newspaper Lianhe Zaobao that after the explosions, she saw thick smoke and fire coming from her children's bedroom.

In response to queries from The New Paper, a spokesman for the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said it was alerted to a fire at Block 464A Bukit Batok West Avenue 8 on Saturday (June 20) at 5.46pm.

The fire, which involved a battery unit of a personal mobility device (PMD) in the bedroom of the flat, was extinguished by the occupants before SCDF's arrival, the spokesman added.

"Two adults and two children self-evacuated from the unit before SCDF's arrival, and one person from the unit was taken to Ng Teng Fong General Hospital," the spokesman added.

Ms Ainn told Zaobao that she had fled to her neighbour's flat with her mother and children and asked her neighbours to call SCDF while her father extinguished the fire using a hose from the bathroom.

She said he managed to put out most of the fire before the SCDF arrived.

The situation was so chaotic that her two children, aged three and five, were crying and in shock.

Her mother felt faint and dizzy after inhaling the smoke and was taken to hospital.

Edited June 21, 2021 by Kb27

[mersaylee]

What kind of parent to place a potential hazard in children's room? 🥴

[Blueray]

9 minutes ago, mersaylee said:

What kind of parent to place a potential hazard in children's room? 🥴

it-wont-happen-to-me-ism. 

average age of PMDs is now coming to probably 2 years, old batteries overheat. even our handphones get hotter as the phone gets older. 

[13177]

Omg, PMD explodes incidence still happening!

[13177]

1 minute ago, Blueray said:

it-wont-happen-to-me-ism. 

average age of PMDs is now coming to probably 2 years, old batteries overheat. even our handphones get hotter as the phone gets older. 

No wonder many people change their phone every 2 years. Lol.

[kobayashiGT]

If she on aircon and charge the PMD, will it get any better? 😆

[Voodooman]

Carousell going to see more preowned PMD for sales.

 

[Ender]

Lucky didn't spread to neighbour. Are they charging and is it UL2272 certified? 

If LTA not doing a total ban, I hope HDB should consider banning PMD inside a unit and lift. Coz a unattended fire can  cost  lives and property damages not just for the owners but their adjacent neighbours too.

[Sosaria]

33 minutes ago, mersaylee said:

What kind of parent to place a potential hazard in children's room? 🥴

Can't assume that they have the knowledge, other than reading the news, if at all.

Without the technical background and seeing it for yourself from experience, things like battery deterioration, the explosive chemistry of lithium ion or lithium polymer batteries, "thermal runaway" - laymen will just take it lightly.

Edited June 21, 2021 by Sosaria

[Blueray]

15 minutes ago, 13177 said:

No wonder many people change their phone every 2 years. Lol.

every time I read about big fire in residential units, I'd think PMD.

our regular household appliances do not combust in that manner to burn a whole flat in a 2F2F manner. 

its criminal that SCDF is not releasing data on PMD fires for public awareness and issuing a public warning. 

10 minutes ago, kobayashiGT said:

If she on aircon and charge the PMD, will it get any better? 😆

I doubt so, ambient temperature and aircon temperature is probably no more than 5 degrees difference max.

 

[mersaylee]

1 minute ago, Sosaria said:

Can't assume that they have the knowledge, other than reading the news, if at all.

Without the technical background and seeing it for yourself from experience, things like battery deterioration, the explosive chemistry of lithium ion or lithium polymer batteries, "thermal runaway" - laymen will just take it lightly.

I guess common sense is scarce these days...

I won't even buy phone charging cable or fan with flat type power cord...let alone use it...😅

[DOBIEMKZ]

29 minutes ago, 13177 said:

Omg, PMD explodes incidence still happening!

Cheap PMDs come with batteries not meant to last or to sustain multiple charging cycles. Sad. :/

Those PMDs manufactured by non-reputable companies usually have dismay safety standards, those companies don't care, to them it is a one-time business. :/

[Sosaria]

8 minutes ago, mersaylee said:

I guess common sense is scarce these days...

I won't even buy phone charging cable or fan with flat type power cord...let alone use it...😅

This kind of problem can happen also with phones that are plugged for charging, but used intensively (e.g. for streaming) at the same time.

Usage already makes the phone warm. Charging just adds on to the heat input. And this carries on continuously over the long period that the phone is being used.

Unless extra cooling is introduced, all that waste heat has nowhere to go and starts accumulating. Battery bloats, which is already a warning sign. 

However, for PMDs, it is mainly due to battery deterioration or the fact that the charging circuitry has no thermal switch to turn off the charging when things get hot.

[DOBIEMKZ]

33 minutes ago, 13177 said:

No wonder many people change their phone every 2 years. Lol.

Now with sim-only plans, I don't re-contract on plan with device, I re-contracted on sim only.

My phone 3 and 1/2 years still performs good, battery stamina also not much deterioration.

I think those who change every 2 years or earlier if contracts allows want the bells and whistles, also because of snob appeal. :)

[Jamesc]

Why never put in MIL bedroom?

[Starry]

19 minutes ago, DOBIEMKZ said:

Now with sim-only plans, I don't re-contract on plan with device, I re-contracted on sim only.

My phone 3 and 1/2 years still performs good, battery stamina also not much deterioration.

I think those who change every 2 years or earlier if contracts allows want the bells and whistles, also because of snob appeal. :)

My mobile phone is 7 years old.  I change its battery every 2 years instead.

Still working strong.......

 

[mersaylee]

23 minutes ago, Sosaria said:

This kind of problem can happen also with phones that are plugged for charging, but used intensively (e.g. for streaming) at the same time.

Usage already makes the phone warm. Charging just adds on to the heat input. And this carries on continuously over the long period that the phone is being used.

Unless extra cooling is introduced, all that waste heat has nowhere to go and starts accumulating. Battery bloats, which is already a warning sign. 

However, for PMDs, it is mainly due to battery deterioration or the fact that the charging circuitry has no thermal switch to turn off the charging when things get hot.

I stress to my 2 children to only charge the phone at the far corner of their respective room and leave the room door clear for urgent evacuation...😁

[kobayashiGT]

45 minutes ago, Blueray said:

every time I read about big fire in residential units, I'd think PMD.

our regular household appliances do not combust in that manner to burn a whole flat in a 2F2F manner. 

its criminal that SCDF is not releasing data on PMD fires for public awareness and issuing a public warning. 

I doubt so, ambient temperature and aircon temperature is probably no more than 5 degrees difference max.

 

Need to invest in a freezer room for our store room then. 🙂