SINGAPORE: In view of the recent spate of residential fires, the government is considering "stiffer actions" against owners and retailers of non-compliant active mobility devices (AMDs) and measures to improve fire safety protection, said Minister of State for Home Affairs Goh Pei Ming on Saturday (Aug 30).
However, he said that it was "premature" for him to elaborate more as the agencies involved are still working on them.
Preliminary findings by the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) had found that there were two likely causes of the residential fires - from the battery packs of AMDs and from electrical faults.
"More can be done in this space," Mr Goh said, adding that the government has in place various fire safety measures.
"Since 2018, for instance, we have required all new built flats, as well as existing HDB flats undergoing Addition and Alteration works, to install home fire alarm devices," he said.
The town councils and SCDF have also been working closely to remove hazardous materials from corridors, common spaces as well as fire hazards.
He added that the Land Transport Authority and the Ministry of Transport require power-assisted bicycles and personal mobility devices to be registered and undergo safety checks.
The SCDF has also installed fire extinguishers next to Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) in various HDB estates so that members of the public can respond to fires quickly.
"As of July this year, more than 90 per cent of the places that require such installations already have the fire extinguishers in position," said Mr Goh.
Mr Goh also responded to a question on possible additional checks on dry risers, after a faulty dry riser at a Toa Payoh block forced firefighters to haul hoses up 10 storeys to the affected units.
A dry rising main is a vertical red pipe installed in a building. During a fire, it will be charged with water from a fire engine to facilitate firefighting operations on higher floors.
"Between SCDF as well as the town councils, there is an annual cadence of checks on all the dry risers," said Mr Goh.
"Specific to this case, I think that is something for the town council and SCDF to check through. As far as I know, the dry riser has been checked, and all is working at this current juncture."
He added that data will be collected from annual checks.
"Should the data suggest the need for more checks and inspections to be done, we will explore that option. But currently, the data does not suggest we need to set that up," he said.
Mr Goh was speaking to the media on the sidelines of the Responder Plus Programme (RRP) at Joo Chiat Community Club.
The RRP is an emergency preparedness training programme by the SCDF, which teaches lifesaving skills such as firefighting and first aid.
His comments come amid a recent spate of fires at HDB flats.
CNA reported nine cases of fires at HDB flats this year. In the most recent case, three people were taken to the hospital, and 50 others were evacuated after a fire broke out in a flat in Toa Payoh on Aug 22.
SCDF said that preliminary findings indicated the fire had involved a personal mobility aid in the flat's living room.
SCDF’s annual statistics showed that the number of fires involving active mobility devices rose by 21.8 per cent in 2024, from 55 in 2023 to 67 last year.
Overall, SCDF responded to 1,990 fires in 2024, an increase of 1.8 per cent compared to 2023. Fires due to electrical origin and unattended cooking were the most common in homes.
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However, he said that it was "premature" for him to elaborate more as the agencies involved are still working on them.
Preliminary findings by the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) had found that there were two likely causes of the residential fires - from the battery packs of AMDs and from electrical faults.
"More can be done in this space," Mr Goh said, adding that the government has in place various fire safety measures.
"Since 2018, for instance, we have required all new built flats, as well as existing HDB flats undergoing Addition and Alteration works, to install home fire alarm devices," he said.
The town councils and SCDF have also been working closely to remove hazardous materials from corridors, common spaces as well as fire hazards.
He added that the Land Transport Authority and the Ministry of Transport require power-assisted bicycles and personal mobility devices to be registered and undergo safety checks.
The SCDF has also installed fire extinguishers next to Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) in various HDB estates so that members of the public can respond to fires quickly.
"As of July this year, more than 90 per cent of the places that require such installations already have the fire extinguishers in position," said Mr Goh.
Mr Goh also responded to a question on possible additional checks on dry risers, after a faulty dry riser at a Toa Payoh block forced firefighters to haul hoses up 10 storeys to the affected units.
A dry rising main is a vertical red pipe installed in a building. During a fire, it will be charged with water from a fire engine to facilitate firefighting operations on higher floors.
"Between SCDF as well as the town councils, there is an annual cadence of checks on all the dry risers," said Mr Goh.
"Specific to this case, I think that is something for the town council and SCDF to check through. As far as I know, the dry riser has been checked, and all is working at this current juncture."
He added that data will be collected from annual checks.
"Should the data suggest the need for more checks and inspections to be done, we will explore that option. But currently, the data does not suggest we need to set that up," he said.
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Mr Goh was speaking to the media on the sidelines of the Responder Plus Programme (RRP) at Joo Chiat Community Club.
The RRP is an emergency preparedness training programme by the SCDF, which teaches lifesaving skills such as firefighting and first aid.
His comments come amid a recent spate of fires at HDB flats.
CNA reported nine cases of fires at HDB flats this year. In the most recent case, three people were taken to the hospital, and 50 others were evacuated after a fire broke out in a flat in Toa Payoh on Aug 22.
SCDF said that preliminary findings indicated the fire had involved a personal mobility aid in the flat's living room.
SCDF’s annual statistics showed that the number of fires involving active mobility devices rose by 21.8 per cent in 2024, from 55 in 2023 to 67 last year.
Overall, SCDF responded to 1,990 fires in 2024, an increase of 1.8 per cent compared to 2023. Fires due to electrical origin and unattended cooking were the most common in homes.
Related:
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