SINGAPORE: An e-scooter ridden by a food deliveryman caught fire along Fernvale Street in Sengkang on Saturday (Sep 28).
Video online showed the e-scooter engulfed in flames with thick smoke rising. A man wearing a foodpanda T-shirt and carrying a delivery bag was standing nearby.
Advertisement Advertisement The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said it was alerted to the incident at about 1.15pm at 473 Fernvale Street.
The fire was put out by SCDF using a hosereel jet.
No one was injured and the cause of the fire is under investigation.
[h=3]READ: 54 fires involving PMDs and power-assisted bicycles reported in first half of 2019[/h] Advertisement Advertisement In response to CNA's queries, foodpanda said it works "in close partnership" with the Land Transport Authority (LTA) to ensure that its riders' e-scooters comply with regulations.
All new riders must have an LTA-registered personal mobility device (PMD), it added.
"For existing riders who are not yet LTA registered, we are communicating the urgency of registering through multiple communication channels," said foodpanda Singapore's managing director Luc Andreani.
"Each individual rider will be responsible for obtaining his/her licence, and any rider found without an LTA-registered vehicle will not be allowed to continue as part of foodpanda’s rider fleet."
From July 2020, only registered PMDs that meet the UL2272 fire safety standard will be allowed on public paths.
[h=3]READ: PMD safety certification deadline moved forward to July 2020; all e-scooters to go through mandatory inspection[/h][h=3]READ: S$100 'early disposal incentive' for e-scooters that do not meet fire safety standards: LTA[/h]The deadline to comply with the new standards was brought forward after a recent spate of fires involving PMDs.
Senior Minister of State for Transport Lam Pin Min had said in August that all PMD-related fire incidents so far involved non-UL2272 certified devices.
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