SINGAPORE - A commuter’s power bank caught fire in the cabin of an eastbound train at Raffles Place station on the evening of March 7.
In response to queries from The Straits Times, train operator SMRT said that the emergency communication button was activated at 5.30pm and station staff used a fire extinguisher to put out the fire.
All 650 commuters onboard alighted safely and no one was injured, said Mr Lam Sheau Kai, President of SMRT Trains.
To clear the smoke, the station’s exhaust system was turned on. Mr Lam said its staff provided first aid to the commuter, who declined to be taken to a hospital.
SMRT said that the issue was quickly resolved and train services were not affected.
In a video posted on social media platform Xiaohongshu, fumes of white smoke can be seen coming out of the affected cabin as station staff handle the situation.
According to the poster named Pat, she was carrying a power bank, a data cable, an access card, and a pair of headphones in her handbag.
She told ST that she was not using the power bank at the time.
When the fire broke out, she immediately threw her handbag on the ground.
She and other passengers then rushed out of the cabin when the doors opened, said Pat, who also posted photos of her soot-covered hand and shirt.
Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said it was alerted to the incident by SMRT staff at 5.45pm, and was informed that assistance was not required.
The affected train was then removed from service and moved to Changi Depot, where SCDF conducted investigations on the cause of the fire.
Preliminary findings showed that it was likely caused by an electrical origin from the power bank, said SCDF.
* Additional reporting by Lok Jian Wen
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