Jurong flat fire that killed a man started from battery pack

The pack, which was not on PMD at the time, may not have been stored properly: Coroner

- Shaffiq Alkhatib

The state coroner has found that a blaze in a Jurong West flat which killed a man in October 2021 originated from a battery pack that may not have been stored properly.

The pack was not on a personal mobility device (PMD) at the time of the tragedy.

In his findings into Mr Chai Chee Fong's death, State Coroner Adam Nakhoda said that it is likely that a "thermal runaway" - or uncontrolled battery overheating - had occurred in lithium cells within the battery pack that had been placed away from the PMD.

The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) had engaged private certification agency TUV SUD PSB to conduct an analysis on several items recovered from the blaze, including a PMD.

The company, which was unable to determine the root cause of the thermal runaway, had stated that a mismatch between a battery pack and a charger can cause damage to such items.

The state coroner said: "A mismatch between the charger and the battery pack could have resulted in damage to the lithium cells that would eventually lead to a thermal runaway."

The battery pack was not being charged at the time of the fire.