SINGAPORE — A seventh-floor condominium unit in Geylang became the scene of a fiery emergency on Sunday evening, June 21, 2026 after an unattended e-bike battery caught fire while charging in the living room. The incident triggered emergency evacuations and underscores the persistent hazards associated with active mobility device batteries.

The Singapore Civil Defense Force (SCDF) reported receiving an urgent call at approximately 5:35 PM regarding a fire at Casa Aerata condominium, located at 9 Lorong 26 Geylang.

Bishan–Toa Payoh GRC MP Cai Yinzhou noticed the smoke and billowing sirens and rushed to the scene. In a video shared on Facebook, flames could be seen completely engulfing the seventh-story apartment.

According to Cai, bystanders and responders quickly cleared the ground area directly beneath the burning flat in anticipation of the windows shattering from the intense thermal pressure—a caution that proved necessary when the glass eventually smashed from the heat.

Upon arrival, SCDF firefighters deployed one fire hose reel alongside a compressed air foam backpack to aggressively combat and extinguish the living room blaze.

While the occupants of the affected unit managed to escape, police and SCDF officers evacuated five residents from neighbouring units as a strict safety measure. Miraculously, no injuries were reported in connection to the fire.

Preliminary investigations formally traced the fire's origin to an electrical fault from a Power-Assisted Bicycle (PAB) battery that had been left to charge unattended.

Following the incident, authorities issued a stern reminder regarding the distinct fire hazards posed by active mobility devices (AMDs). To prevent future emergencies, the SCDF heavily urges the public to avoid utilizing non-original parts, emphasizing that third-party, unapproved, or modified batteries should never be purchased or used for PABs and personal mobility devices (PMDs).

Furthermore, consumers are cautioned against overcharging their devices, meaning batteries should not be left plugged in for extended periods or completely overnight. Finally, users must never charge these devices unattended; instead, charging should always be actively monitored and kept strictly away from escape routes or any combustible materials.

Though recent annual data showed a brief decline in overall AMD-related fires due to tighter regulations, localized incidents continue to pose significant risks to residential high-rises across Singapore.