13 fires linked to power banks in 2024, a 6-year high: SCDF

SINGAPORE – A total of 58 reported fires were linked to power banks between 2019 and 2024, with 2024 seeing the highest number of such incidents ever at 13.

There were 10 such fires in 2023, 11 each in 2021 and 2022, six in 2020 and seven in 2019, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said in response to queries from The Straits Times on April 14.

Power banks have made the headlines recently amid incidents, including when 650 commuters had to alight at Raffles Place MRT station after

a woman’s power bank caught fire

in a train cabin.

Elsewhere, a fire

destroyed an Air Busan plane on the tarmac

in South Korea in January, after which a number of airlines banned passengers from using power banks on planes.

Singapore Airlines and Scoot said passengers aboard flights

will not be allowed to use power banks

to charge their personal devices from April 1.

They will also not be allowed to charge portable power banks via on-board USB ports for the duration of the flight, the airlines said, citing safety reasons for the move.

SCDF urged the public to store batteries at room temperature and keep them away from combustible or flammable materials, such as paper, wood or petroleum products.

Power banks should not be exposed to heat sources – including direct sunlight – or be placed near a heat-emitting device such as a laptop or smartphone.

Before using power banks, people should examine them for signs of damage or deformities. Charging damaged batteries may lead to overheating or even a fire.

When charging power banks, users should unplug them when the charge cycle is full to prevent overcharging.

SCDF said that some battery models do not have an automatic power cut-off function and overcharging may cause permanent damage to the battery, leading to battery swelling, venting and other thermal or electrical issues such as overheating or short-circuiting.

Batteries should be charged on hard flat surfaces such as desks and tables to allow for optimal dissipation of heat. They should not be used under blankets or pillows, or in bags or closed spaces such as drawers.

Users of power banks should follow the instructions provided by the manufacturers, and use manufacturer-approved chargers, SCDF added.

The Consumer Product Safety Office (CPSO) requires suppliers to ensure that general consumer goods, including power banks, meet safety standards before they can be sold.

CPSO director Beatrice Wong said

in an ST report

in March that suppliers are not required to seek pre-market approval or certification for these products.

But they must comply with safety standards for the internal components, and provide customers with information such as instructions on how to charge the power bank, and the minimum and maximum operating temperatures.

The agency conducts market surveillance, and can direct suppliers to halt sales of non-compliant power banks and notify buyers of safety risks, if the devices do not meet the requirements.

Suppliers who fail to comply with CPSO’s directions may be fined up to $10,000, jailed for up to two years, or both.

“Consumers should also be aware of potential false representation as certain power banks have been incorrectly advertised as ‘CPSO approved’ or ‘Enterprise Singapore approved’,” added Ms Wong.