SINGAPORE - Two people were taken to hospital after a fire broke out in a Housing Board flat in Sembawang on Sunday morning.

The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said in a Facebook post that it was alerted to the fire at Block 508A Wellington Circle at about 1.40am.

When SCDF arrived, black smoke was emanating from a unit on the second floor.

SCDF said four people from the affected unit had evacuated before it arrived. Two of them were subsequently taken to Singapore General Hospital for smoke inhalation and burn injuries.

About 80 residents from the affected block were also evacuated as a precautionary measure.

“Firefighters from Yishun Fire Station wearing breathing apparatus equipment entered the smoke-logged unit. The fire, which was confined to a bedroom, was extinguished with a water jet,” said SCDF.

Preliminary investigations indicate that the fire had likely originated from the battery of a power-assisted bicycle that was charging in the bedroom, they added.

Earlier in May, three people were taken to hospital after a fire broke out in a Sengkang flat. The fire was likely to have originated from the battery pack of a personal mobility device (PMD), which was charging in the living room.

In 2021, there were 32 fires involving PMDs and 23 involving power-assisted bicycles.

The SCDF reminded the public to take steps to prevent PMD fires, such as not leaving charging devices unattended for an extended period of time or overnight, and not to buy or use non-original batteries.