SINGAPORE saw a slight rise in fire incidents and related injuries in 2025, according to the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF), with a growing number of cases linked to electrical vehicles (EVs) and active mobility devices (AMDs).
The Straits Times cited on Wednesday that SCDF’s annual report, released on 11 February, indicating that the total number of fires increased by three per cent, from 1,990 in 2024 to 2,050 in 2025.
Residential buildings accounted for 1,051 of these incidents. Injuries from fires also rose, from 80 in 2024 to 94 last year.
Unattended cooking and electrical faults—ranging from faulty wiring to overloaded sockets—remained the leading causes of home fires.
Of 304 residential electrical fires in 2025, 34 involved AMDs, which include personal mobility devices, power-assisted bicycles, and personal mobility aids.
While overall AMD fires decreased from 67 in 2024 to 49 in 2025, the number of fires involving PMDs increased from 25 to 31.
Notably, two PMD fires in November 2025 in Ang Mo Kio and Yishun required the evacuation of over 200 residents and hospitalisation of several individuals.
“Although there were fewer AMD fires overall, incidents that occur in homes remain a concern due to the rapid spread of fire in confined spaces,” the SCDF said.
The agency urged the public to use only original batteries for mobility devices and avoid leaving them charging unattended or overnight.
Authorities have also been enforcing regulations against improper use.
On 28 January, a 22-year-old man was jailed for seven months for using an incompatible PMD charger that had caused a fatal fire in March 2022.
Fire fatalities fell slightly in Singapore, from seven in 2024 to six in 2025.
The deaths in 2025 involved incidents in Hougang, River Valley Road, and Bukit Merah, including a family of three killed in Hougang and a 10-year-old girl at a cooking school on River Valley Road.
A Bukit Merah PMD fire in August also claimed the lives of a couple in their 30s. SCDF noted that pending investigations are not included in these statistics.
Vehicle fires showed a mixed trend. While the total number of vehicle fires declined from 257 in 2024 to 226 in 2025, EV fires increased from one to four, with three caused by battery faults.
As of 31 December 2025, Singapore had 50,025 registered EVs out of a total vehicle population of 833,103.
Emergency medical services calls rose from 245,279 in 2024 to 257,158 in 2025, nearly half of which involved seniors aged 65 and above.
Road traffic accident-related calls also increased from 9,564 to 10,737, averaging 29 calls daily.
The SCDF expects overall emergency call demand to rise in line with Singapore’s transition to a super-aged society in 2026, when more than 21 per cent of the population will be aged 65 or older.
Community First Responders (CFRs) played an increasingly vital role. The response rate for cardiac arrests and minor fire incidents improved from 50.3 per cent in 2024 to 72.4 per cent in 2025, aided by the myResponder app, which alerts nearby CFRs to emergencies.
There were 47,240 new app sign-ups last year, a 17.4 per cent increase from 2024, bringing the total number of registered responders to over 250,000.
Since launch in 2015, CFRs responding via the app have saved 160 cardiac arrest victims.
The SCDF stressed that while fire fatalities slightly decreased, vigilance remains crucial, particularly in residential settings and with the increasing presence of EVs and personal mobility devices. - February 11, 2026
.jpeg)
.jpg)
