SINGAPORE - A taxi driver and his passenger escaped from his taxi when it started emitting smoke in Hougang on Friday (April 7) night.

The taxi, which was along Hougang Avenue 3 at about 8.10pm, later burst into flames, with several "explosions", Lianhe Wanbao reported on Saturday (April 8).

The taxi driver, Mr Li Weilian, 51, told Wanbao that he had been taking a male passenger to Hougang Avenue 1 when the incident occurred.

He saw smoke coming from the back of the cab, followed by smoke rising from the hood.

"I immediately stopped the taxi, grabbed my phone, passport and wallet and got off with the passenger," he said. "Once we were out, the taxi burst into flames."

Mr Li said that he had taken the cab for regular maintenance just five weeks ago, and was supposed to take it for maintenance again that very day.

The fire was put out by the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF), but the cab was left charred.

SCDF told The Straits Times on Saturday (April 8) that it had received a call for help at 8.09pm and dispatched a fire engine, a Red Rhino and two fire bikes to the junction of Hougang Avenue 3 and Lorong Halus.

The fire was extinguished with a hose from a fire engine, the spokesman said, and no one was hurt.

The cause of the fire is being investigated.