Under The Angsana Tree: January 2018

31/01/2018

The first Blue Moon of 2018

January 31 is 1st of 2 Blue Moons in 2018

Looking for info on the January 31, 2018, lunar eclipse?

Blue moons don’t really look blue in color. Greg Hogan in Kathleen, Georgia, created the composite image at top of a Blue Moon (blue in name only!) on July 31, 2015. He wrote: Having some fun with the blue moon idea……I blended the same image twice one with a blue tint, and one normal. :)

This year, 2018, we have two months (January and March) with Blue Moons. They are Blue Moons by the monthly definition of the term: the second of two full moons to fall within a single calendar month. The first Blue Moon comes on January 31, 2018, and the second on March 31, 2018.

Meanwhile, the month of February 2018 has no full moon at all.

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When to See the (Blue) 'Sap Moon'

The second New Moon in a single is called a 'Black Moon'

The first Blue Moon of 2018 was the spectacular Super Blue Blood Moon of Jan. 31.

Not every month gets two full moons. The time between full moons (known as a synodic month) averages 29.53 days, so we usually see one full moon per month. About every two to three years on average, we see a "Blue Moon" — a second full moon in one month.

Two Blue Moons in a year is relatively uncommon. According to EarthSky.org, the next year when two calendar months will each have two full moons will be 2037, when January and March will have Blue Moons. The last time it happened was in 1999.

One effect of having a full moon on Jan. 31 and March 1 is that February has no full moon at all. February is the only month in which this can happen, because the month has only 28 days (while the phenomenon can happen in a leap year, it is rare). The next time a full moon will skip February will be in 2037, according to TheSkyscrapers.org, a site run by amateur astronomers, and the phenomenon is sometimes referred to as a "Black Moon."

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31 Jan, the Moon Will Be Super Big & Super Red

Supermoon - As the moniker suggests, the Moon will appear 14% bigger and 30% brighter. But you won’t be able to tell the difference under the naked eye. The supermoon occurs when the Moon is closest to Earth (aka perigee) in its elliptic orbit.

Blue moon - It has nothing to do with the Moon turning blue. It means that it is the second full moon in a calendar month. This is a rather common phenomenon, occurring every two years or so.

Lunar eclipse - Not to be confused with the solar eclipse, this is when the Moon turns red as the sunlight is blocked by the earth’s shadow and the light seen is refracted through the Earth’s shadow. Coz’ of Rayleigh scattering, the light turns red—that is why sometimes we get paddle pop skies in the evening—and that’s why it looks like a murder happened on the Moon.

Why is it special - These three lunar events will be happening at the same time today—the lunar holy trinity. According to Sky and Telescope magazine, the last time a “blue moon” total lunar eclipse occurred was in 1866!

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2018 Full Moon Calendar

The moon shows its full face to Earth once a month. Well, sort of.

In fact, the same side of the moon always faces the planet, but part of it is in shadow. And, in reality most of the time the "full moon" is never perfectly full. Only when the moon, Earth and the sun are perfectly aligned is the moon 100 percent full, and that alignment produces a lunar eclipse. And sometimes — once in a blue moon — the moon is full twice in a month (or four times in a season, depending on which definition you prefer). [The Moon: 10 Surprising Facts]

The next full moon will be a Blue Moon — the second full moon of January — on Wednesday, Jan. 31. To casual observers, the moon will still appear full the day prior and after the peak. Like January's first full moon, the second full moon will be a "supermoon" as the moon arrives at perigee close to reaching its fullest phase. There will also be a total lunar eclipse during the Blue Moon, which some are billing as a rare Super Blue-Blood Moon Lunar Eclipse. Such a Blue Moon total lunar eclipse has not occurred for 152 years, our skywatching columnist Joe Rao has found.

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Full moon

The full Moon as viewed through a 235 mm (9.25 in) Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope. The Moon was near its northernmost ecliptic latitude, so the southern craters are especially prominent

The full moon is the lunar phase when the Moon appears fully illuminated from Earth's perspective. This occurs when Earth is located directly between the Sun and the Moon (more exactly, when the ecliptic longitudes of the Sun and Moon differ by 180°). This means that the lunar hemisphere facing Earth – the near side – is completely sunlit and appears as a circular disk, while the far side is dark. The full moon occurs once roughly every month.

When the Moon moves into Earth's shadow, a lunar eclipse occurs, during which all or part of the Moon's face may appear reddish due to the Rayleigh scattering of blue wavelengths and the refraction of sunlight through Earth's atmosphere. Lunar eclipses happen only during full moon and around points on its orbit where the satellite may pass through the planet's shadow. A lunar eclipses does not occur every month because the Moon's orbit is inclined 5.14° to the ecliptic plane; thus, the Moon usually passes north or south of Earth's shadow, which is mostly restricted to this plane of reference. Lunar eclipses happen only when the full moon occurs around either node of its orbit (ascending or descending). Therefore, a lunar eclipse occurs approximately every 6 months and often 2 weeks before or after a solar eclipse, which occurs during new moon around the opposite node.

The interval period between a new or full moon and the next same phase, a synodic month, averages about 29.53 days. Therefore, in those lunar calendars in which each month begins on the day of the new moon, the full moon falls on either the 14th or 15th day of the lunar month. Because a calendar month consists of a whole number of days, a lunar month may be either 29 or 30 days long.

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Moon Phase Terms

Full Moon & New Moon Calendar for 2018

Full Moon - The moon is full when the moon is on the opposite side of the Earth from the Sun. Another way to look at it is that the moon, sun and earth are in a line with the earth being between the sun and moon. When this occurs the entire surface of the moon looks to be illuminated. The full moon occurs every 29.53058 days.

New Moon - A new moon occurs when the moon is between the earth and the sun. We are seeing the oposite side of the moon that the sun is shinning on. At the exact time of the New moon the moon is to close to the sun to see at all.

Blue Moon - Today we consider the Blue Moon to be when a full moon occurs twice in one month. This is a relatively new concept for the term. Originaly a blue moon was considered to be when a full moon occured 4 times in a season. A season usualy has 3 full moons. The term has became popular when referring to any rare event.

Super Moon - A new or full moon which occurs with the Moon at or near (within 90% of) its closest approach to Earth in a given orbit (perigee). In short, Earth, Moon and Sun are all in a line, with Moon in its nearest approach to Earth.

Black Moon - This is a term that is not used frequently and has no exact definition. Some sources use this term when there are 2 new moons in one month similar to the blue moon which is 2 full moons in a month. It is also the term used when there is no full moon in a month. Having a month with no full moon is very rare. It can only happen in the month of February since is has fewer days then the full moon cycle of 29.53058 days.

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Chinese Lunar Calendar

Full Moon on 1st Jan 2018 in Gregorian calendar & on 15th Nov 2017 in Chinese calendar

Full Moon on 31st Jan 2018 in Gregorian calendar & on 15th Dec 2017 in Chinese calendar

Full Moon on 2nd Mar 2018 in Gregorian calendar & on 15th Jan 2018 in Chinese calendar

Full Moon on 31st Mar 2018 in Gregorian calendar & on 15th Feb 2018 in Chinese calendar

Full Moon on 30th Apr 2018 in Gregorian calendar & on 15th Mar 2018 in Chinese calendar

Full Moon on 29 May 2018 in Gregorian calendar & on 15th Apr 2018 in Chinese calendar

Full Moon on 28th Jun 2018 in Gregorian calendar & on 15th May 2018 in Chinese calendar

Full Moon on 27 Jul 2018 in Gregorian calendar & on 15th Jun 2018 in Chinese calendar

Full Moon on 25th Aug 2018 in Gregorian calendar & on 15th Jul 2018 in Chinese calendar

Full Moon on 24th Sep 2018 in Gregorian calendar & on 15th Aug 2018 in Chinese calendar

Full Moon on 23rd Oct 2018 in Gregorian calendar & on 15th Sep 2018 in Chinese calendar

Full Moon on 22nd Nov 2018 in Gregorian calendar & on 15th Oct 2018 in Chinese calendar

Full Moon on 21st Dec 2018 in Gregorian calendar & on 15th Nov 2018 in Chinese calendar

Chinese calendar, a lunisolar calendar, is formed on the movement of the moon.

Full Moon occurs on every 15th Day of the Chinese Lunar Calendar.

There are 2 Full Moons in January & March but no Full Moon in February 2018.

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Solar and Lunar Eclipses Worldwide – Next 10 Years

Featured Eclipses in Coming Years

Find Solar Eclipses, Lunar Eclipses, and Planetary Transits Worldwide from 1900 to 2199

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WHAT IS A BLUE MOON?

The modern day definition of a Blue Moon is when there are 2 Full Moons in one Month. A Full Moon occurs roughly every 29.5 days and on the rare occasions when the Full Moon falls at the very beginning of a month there is a good chance a Blue Moon will occur at the end of the month. According to this definition the next Blue Moon will occur on January 31, 2018.

ORIGINAL BLUE MOON DEFINITION:

The modern definition of a Blue Moon was derived from an earlier idea of what a Blue Moon was. This earlier definition says a Blue Moon is when there are 4 Full Moons in a season rather than the usual 3. The Blue moon is the 3rd Full Moon out of the 4. This definition gets a bit complicated and it's origins are murky. One school of thought has to do with the naming of the Full Moons. Many cultures named the Full Moons each month to reflected the times for planting, harvesting or seasonal conditions. When an extra Full Moon was thrown in it was referred to as a Blue Moon to keep the Full Moon names constant throughout the year.
Another origin could be from the Christian ecclesiastical calendar. This one gets even more tricky but basically has to do with the idea that there are usually 12 Full Moons in a year. The Full Moons on this calendar were important markers for determining curtain dates such as Easter. When a 13th Full moon was thrown into the year it made things messy so giving it a name allowed the calendar to stay on track.
The idea of a Blue Moon being the extra full moon in a season (or when there were 13 in a year) was widely used in 19th and early 20th center Farmers Almanacs and the more modern version seems to have come from an article written in the 1930's that misinterpreted the Farmers Almanac definition. The article was names "Once in a Blue Moon" and from that point on the term became part of popular culture.

IS THE MOON EVER THE COLOR BLUE?

This is a very rare event but it does happen. There are a few recorded events when forest fires or ash volcanic eruptions have given the moon a bluish color. The moon can also has a blueish color on very cold winter nights when ice crystals in the air form a ring around the moon. Of course the idea of the moon being blue is very subjective and left up to ones own interpretation.
An interesting twist to the idea of a Blue Moon is the idea of Dark Moon. Sometimes the reference of a Dark Moon is given when there are 2 new moons is a calendar month, the opposite of a Blue Moon. Other definitions say it is when there is no Full moon is a calendar month. Neither of these definitions or the term Dark Moon is used very often. Neither has any scientific bases and is more a part of popular culture.

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related:

Hunter’s Moon 2024

First supermoon of 2024

Final supermoon of 2023

2 Supermoons Rising In August 2023

The 8 Phases of the Moon

Strawberry Moon Lights Up Singapore Skies
Pink Moon - The Largest Supermoon of 2020

Full Moon August 2019

The first Blue Moon of 2018

No Full Moon in February 2018

The Second Blue Moon of 2018

Supermoon 2016
Blood Moon 2014
Ultra Rare 3-In-1 Moon Phenomenon
‘Blood moon’: Longest total lunar eclipse of the century

Blue Moon 2020
Blue Moon 2023
Blue Moon 2026
Blue Moon 2028
Blue Moon 2031
Blue Moon 2034
Blue Moon 2037 (Jan)
Blue Moon 2037 (Mar)
Blue Moon 2039

Thaipusam 2018

Chinese carrying Kavadi

5 things you need to know about this vibrant Hindu festival

While Thaipusam may not be recognised as a public holiday, this spectacular festival attracts thousands of Hindu devotees each year. Its most distinctive feature is the large decorated kavadi carried by many participants each year, often ones that incorporate skin piercings. But if all this is new to you, or you still feel like you have no clue what this festival is about, we’ve put together a handy guide that will give you a basic understanding of Thaipusam.

Who
Majority of the devotees who participate in Thaipusam are Hindu Tamils, but it’s not uncommon to find Hindus of other ethnicities taking part in the procession. This is especially true in Singapore, considering our vibrant mix of cultures.

What
The most iconic part of this festival is the kavadi itself. This intricate structure is decorated with flowers and peacock feathers, symbols of Murugan, and can weigh up to 30 kilos. While this may seem like a harrowing experience, kavadi bearers often feel a sense of peace and may even enter a trance-like state. This is aided by live music played by urumi melam (traditional drum) groups that have been allowed to perform at designated areas during the event.

Why
Devotees carry the elaborately decorated kavadi as a form of ceremonial sacrifice in worship of Murugan. The kavadi’s weight and the hooks pierced through the bearers skin represent a physical burden, through which devotees beseech Murugan for divine help. The bearer also observes celibacy and consumes a single meal of pure Satvik food (essentially vegetarian foods that aren’t pungent) just once a day, beginning 48 hours before Thaipusam begins.

Where
The procession of kavadi bearers begins at the Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple at Serangoon Road and ends at the Sri Thendayuthapani Temple at Tank Road. If you’re keen to see the spectacle firsthand, the Serangoon Road is a good place to watch the procession.

When
Thaipusam falls on 31 January this year. A common misconception is that the festival commemorates Murugan’s birthday, but the date actually marks his vanquishing of the demon Soorapadman.

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30/01/2018

Hailstones, Flash Floods & Fallen Trees as Storms hit Singapore

Update 6 Jan 2021: Landslides, Fallen Trees & Flash Floods due to Incessant Rain

Landslide In Outram Near York Hill Occurred Due To Continuous Heavy Rain On 2 Jan

Just 3 days into the new year, Singapore has already seen unprecedented levels of heavy rain and cold weather due to the La Nina phenomenon. While many are relishing the aircon weather, the torrential downpour has started wreaking havoc around the island with flash floods.

Now, landslides have also occurred, with one that took place behind Furama Riverfront Hotel — near York Hill and Outram Secondary School in Outram. Authorities have been alerted to the incident and the area is now cordoned off for repair works. In a video posted by SG Road Vigilante, muddy soil can be seen sliding down a slope in Outram on Saturday (2 Jan).

Minor soil slippage at 3 other locations. Apart from Outram, SLA noted that several minor soil slippage incidents also took place at:

Kusu Island
Lazarus Island
St John’s Island

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Hailstones reported in Yishun, Seletar areas during heavy rainfall

After a span of heavy rainfall on Tuesday evening, hailstones have been reported in several areas of Singapore such as Yishun and Seletar. In addition to this, flash floods have been reported at Seletar North Link.

A Facebook user, who goes by the name of Mygolf Sg, posted an amazing video of hailstones during the rainfall at Seletar Country Club. A few other users also posted hail stone videos in other parts of Singapore, including Nanyang Polytechnic.

Experts say that hailstorms form within an unusually unstable air mass in which the temperature falloff with height is much greater than normal. During hailstorms, small ice particles that form above the freezing level generally collect either rainwater or cloud water on them, forming a water shell that freezes.

related:
Flash floods reported at Seletar North Link due to heavy rainfall in Singapore
Flash floods reported in Boon Lay, Craig Road due to heavy rainfall
MRT worksite drain blockage caused Upper Thomson flash flood

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Hail, flash floods, fallen trees in Singapore after thunderstorm

A damaged tree is seen along Seletar North Link after a thunderstorm late Tuesday afternoon. — Raj Nadarajan/TODAY pic

A thunderstorm yesterday afternoon not only flooded roads, but rained hail and toppled several trees in the northeastern part of the island.

PUB said in a statement late last night that the flash floods, which ocurred at 5.17pm, were caused by “overland flow from the storm (which) exceeded the capacity of the roadside drains”. The flood subsided around 30 minutes later at 5.45pm.

Earlier in the day, the agency had issued a flood alert for Seletar North Link at around 5.30pm, advising motorists to avoid the area as both lanes of the two-lane stretch was flooded by heavy rain.

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Hailstones reported to have fallen in Ang Mo Kio, Seletar amid heavy rain

Screengrab of a video showing a closeup of a hailstone on a person's hand. (Foto: Facebook/Michael Wong)

Hailstones were reported in various parts of S'pore on Tuesday (Jan 30) evening amid heavy rain in the north of the island.

Ms Sara Thompson, a teacher at GEMS World Academy international school, was on her way home from work when hail struck at Seletar West Link.

"We are Canadian, so we know hail when we hear it & see it," she told Channel NewsAsia.

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Hail, flash floods, fallen trees reported in Yishun after thunderstorm

A damaged tree is seen along Seletar North Link after a thunderstorm late Tuesday (Jan 30) afternoon. foto: Raj Nadarajan / TODAY

A thunderstorm on Tuesday (Jan 30) afternoon not only flooded roads, but rained hail & toppled several trees in the northeastern part of the island.

PUB said in a statement late Tuesday night that the flash floods, which ocurred at 5.17pm, were caused by "overland flow from the storm (which) exceeded the capacity of the roadside drains".

The flood subsided around 30 minutes later at 5:45pm.

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Hail reportedly fell in Yishun, Sengkang & other north & northeastern parts of S’pore

If you follow weather reports closely, you would be prepared for some heavy rain in the northern, eastern and central areas of Singapore. But would you ever expect some hailstones? The weather phenomena last occurred in 2013.

And it has allegedly happened again at about 4.30pm on Jan. 30, 2018.

Multiple people from Yishun to Sengkang were obviously surprised by what was described as “raining ice” by some.

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Flash flood, fallen trees as storms hit northern Singapore

Seletar North Link was hit with a flash flood on Tuesday (Jan 30) evening. (Foto: Twitter / PUB)

Heavy rain fell across Singapore on Tuesday (Jan 30) afternoon, leading to a flash flood at Seletar North Link. Fallen trees were also reported in various parts of northern Singapore.

Tipper truck driver Jackie Yap said he was on the way to work at around 5pm when he saw the flood along Seletar North Link.

"I saw two stalled cars in the water. One was a Toyota Wish and another a Toyota Altis," Mr Yap told Channel NewsAsia. "The drivers couldn't do much ... They were very helpless. I could see them making phone calls, probably asking for help."

Mr Yap said he saw at least 4 fallen trees on his Seletar journey.

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Flash floods reported at Seletar North Link due to heavy rainfall in northern Singapore

A view of Singapore's business district from an office building in Singapore Reuters

Flash floods have been reported at Seletar North Link after a span of heavy rainfall in Singapore on Tuesday afternoon. According to Channel NewsAsia report, a tree has fallen down on Tampines Expressway (TPE) due to the impact of the rain.

On Twitter, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) posted at 5.10 pm that the Yio Chu Kang Road exit on the TPE was closed due to an "obstacle", which is believed to be the fallen tree.

At about 5.30 pm, PUB tweeted that both lanes of the Seletar Road were closed. The motorists were urged to avoid the area. However, 15 minutes later, the authorities tweeted again saying that the traffic was able to pass as the flood had subsided.

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'It was so sudden': Storm took Yishun, Chong Pang residents by surprise

A child looking at a tree that fell near Yishun Secondary School on Tuesday (Jan 30). (foto: Fann Sim)

Residents & store owners in the north of Singapore said that Tuesday evening's (Jan 30) storm caught them by surprise, as they took stock of the damage caused by heavy rain, strong wind & falling trees and branches.

In Chong Pang, a large tree branch fell on one of the tents housing a pasar malam, or night market.

“It happened very suddenly and we had no time to keep or stow away our things," said a stall owner who wanted to be identified as Mr Ker.

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“Ice Rain” Pelts People in Several Parts of Singapore, Including Yishun and Seletar

Hail, better known to some as “ice rain” (because they’re essentially solid cubes of water droplets that rain down from the sky) pelted people in Yishun, Seletar and Sengkang this evening.

Netizens have shared videos online of hailstones raining down in places like Nangyang Polytechnic (located in Ang Mo Kio) and Seletar Country Club. Other netizens reported incidences of hail in the Sengkang region. This comes as flash floods struck the Seletar region.

The floods resulted in multiple fallen trees. While rare, this isn’t the first time that Singapore has experienced hail was seen during a huge thunderstorm around the Turf Club area in Oct 2014, and parts of Bukit Batok in June 2013.

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Hailstorms In Singapore That Need To Be Answered ASAP

Powerful storms and hailstones assailed northern parts of Singapore like Ang Mo Kio, Yishun and Seletar on Wednesday (30 Jan).

In lieu of all the recent flooding incidents – both MRT and non-MRT related – we’ve been experiencing, we decided to answer a bunch of hail-related questions that have surely crossed your minds. Taking for example:

Can hail kill me?
Will hailstones pierce through my umbrella?
How can a tree that looks so strong still be uprooted?

We don’t have a magic crystal ball here at MustShareNews. But you’ll be pleased to know that we do have some answers to your questions.

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Hailstones and fallen trees in Yishun after a heavy downpour yesterday

A heavy downpour yesterday caused several trees in Yishun Park to be completely uprooted. At least four such trees have blocked pathways in the park. Joggers and passers-by had to make a detour because of the blocked pathways.

According to a Yishun resident, the wind was very strong and everything was blown horizontally. Contractors are in the midst of clearing the fallen trees.

Apart from these uprooted trees, hailstones were also spotted in Yishun and Seletar.

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NParks: More than 200 Incidents of Fallen Trees and Snapped Branches Reported on Tuesday

“Intense weather” saw 10,000 forest trees lost in the Mandai region in 2011. In 2012, around 100 trees fell in a wooded area at Changi Beach Park

The National Parks Board said today that more than 200 incidents of fallen trees and snapped branches were reported on Tuesday (30 Jan). The agency’s group director of Streetscape, Oh Choew Sheng, said:

“By late evening, NParks had received reports of more than 200 tree incidents comprising mainly small trees and snapped branches, most of which were cleared by 8pm yesterday.”

This comes after reports of “intense rain and strong winds” during the late afternoon in the north and northeastern parts of Singapore such as Yishun, Sembawang, Seletar, Mandai and Gambas. Oh said that NParks has had in place a “comprehensive tree management programme” since the early 2000s.

“During inspections, NParks’ certified arborists assess the condition of each tree based on their location and site factors… Where necessary, diagnostic equipment is used to ascertain the trees’ internal conditions. The frequency of tree inspection and pruning varies according to location, species, age and tree condition.”

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Yesterday’s Rain Caused Flash Floods as Well: PUB Has Responded

According to TODAYonline, flash floods were reported in the Western and Central parts of Singapore yesterday, after an afternoon of heavy rain.

The Public Utilities Board (PUB) said in a statement on yesterday night that the flash floods occurred at three locations at around 5.15pm. Jalan Boon Lay/International Road, Craig Road and Outram Road.

PUB also said that Jalan Boon Lay/International Road and Craig Road are known flood hotspots.

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Super Strong Winds Send Boats Flying in East Coast Park and Topple Huge Trees

Super strong winds this afternoon sent at least 3 boats flying at East Coast Park. This video shows how the winds tossed 3 Laser sailboats in the air at the National Sailing Centre – each boat weighs about 70kg. The incident took place at about 4pm.

This is the second day that storms have wreaked havoc in Singapore.

Yesterday, more than 200 incidents of toppled trees and snapped branches were reported over several parts of the country.

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Uprooted trees as heavy rain batters Singapore

No one was in the car when the tree fell. (Foto: Philip Toh)

When engineer Philip Toh heard a loud bang during his family gathering at Jalan Bukit Ho Swee on Sunday afternoon (Jan 14), he assumed that it was a traffic accident.

But when the 39-yr-old rushed out of the HDB unit to check, he saw a 2-metre long tree branch pierced into his car's front windscreen.

"The windscreen was obviously damaged. The impact of the branch also caused a dent in the car's bonnet," Mr Toh told Channel NewsAsia.

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29/01/2018

Fire caused by e-bike overnight charging

Update 11 Mar 2022: Person dead after fire at New Upper Changi Road flat

The fire occurred in a fourth-floor unit at Block 27, New Upper Changi Road, on Mar 9, 2022. (Photo: Facebook/SCDF)

One of the family members who lived in a New Upper Changi Road flat where a fire broke out on Wednesday (Mar 9) has died, said Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat on Thursday.

A family of nine lived in the fourth-storey flat, said Mr Heng, who is also Member of Parliament for East Coast GRC. The family has since been given a temporary space to stay, he said. "I visited the family today, and was saddened to hear that one of the family members had passed on in the hospital. My sincere condolences for their loss," said Mr Heng.

Three people were found unconscious in the flat after a "raging" fire on Wednesday afternoon, said the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF).

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'I have never seen flames that big in my life'

The aftermath of the fire at Block 27 New Upper Changi Road, believed to be caused by a personal mobility device charging in the living room.

The Straits Times

Three unconscious people were rescued from a flat in Bedok after a fire, caused by a personal mobility device (PMD) charging in a living room, broke out on Wednesday (March 9).

When Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) personnel arrived at Block 27 New Upper Changi Road at about 1.15pm, one occupant who had evacuated with a baby told them there were still people in the burning three-room flat, SCDF said in a Facebook post.

Firefighters entered the fourth-floor unit and found the three unconscious people in a room. One of them was not breathing, and was given cardiopulmonary resuscitation before she was sent to Changi General Hospital (CGH).

related: PMDs must conform to safety standard by 2021

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3 unconscious people rescued from flat in New Upper Changi Road after PMD fire

The aftermath of the fire at Block 27 New Upper Changi Road, believed to be caused by a personal mobility device charging in the living room. ST PHOTO: DESMOND FOO

Three unconscious people were rescued from a flat in Bedok after a fire, caused by a personal mobility device (PMD) charging in a living room, broke out on Wednesday (March 9).

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Elderly woman rescued after mobility scooter catches fire

An elderly woman had a narrow escape after a mobility scooter burst into flames & started a fire in a Housing Board block of studio units for the aged in Bedok on Saturday.

A resident, 83, had left his two mobility scooters on a fifth-storey corridor before going to church, Chinese-language daily Lianhe Wanbao reported.

The devices were not being charged at the time, but one suddenly gave out sparks before catching fire & engulfing the corridor in thick smoke.

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Fire breaks out in Sumang Walk flat after e-scooter left charging in kitchen

A fire involving a involving a personal mobility device (PMD) broke out in a unit at Block 326C Sumang Walk in Punggol on Tue morning (Sep 25).

The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said in a Facebook post that it responded to the fire at about 9.20am.

When firefighters arrived at the scene, black smoke was seen emitting from a unit on the 4th floor.

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Fire at Punggol flat sparked by PMD left charging in the kitchen: SCDF

A fire broke out at a Housing Board flat in Punggol on Tuesday (Sep 25) involving a personal mobility device (PMD) that was left charging in the kitchen.

The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said it responded to the fire at about 9.20am.

At the scene, SCDF personnel saw black smoke billowing from a unit on the 4th floor of Block 326C Sumang Walk.

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Charging of PMD caused Tampines unit to be engulfed in flames

A fire broke out at Block 867A Tampines Street 83 yesterday (Jan 20) at about 5.30pm.

Stompers Fiveros, Xiao Pheyy, Shawn, Adriel & Maria alerted Stomp to the fire.

Fiveros and Xiao Pheyy shared videos and photos from the scene of the incident.

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Another PMD catches fire after being charged overnight: Man climbed out of window of 10th-storey Yishun flat

4 people were injured after an e-scooter, that was left to charge overnight, caught fire in a 10th-storey unit at Block 260 Yishun Street 22 on Tue (Nov 7).

In response to media queries, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said that it was alerted to the incident at 10.40am.

The fire was put out by SCDF officers using buckets of water.

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Many fires from charging PMDs in homes -- yet these e-bikes found charging at void deck

With several cases of fire resulting from Personal Mobility Devices (PMDs) being charged overnight, it is no wonder that people have become more cautious with charging their e-bikes and scooters.

However, these e-bikes were found charging at the void deck of a block in Lavender.

Stomper Frankie came across two e-bikes being plugged into a public power socket at the void deck of Block 816, Jellicoe Road at around 9am on Sunday (Jan 28).

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E-scooter catches fire at Serangoon Central

Stomper Alvin came across Singapore Civil Defence Force officers putting out an e-scooter that had caught fire at Serangoon Central on Nov 25. He told Stomp:

"I was on the way home, about 200m away from the junction when I heard two loud 'popping' sounds at around 12.45pm."

He later went past the traffic junction at around 1.35pm near NEX shopping centre and saw several firemen extinguishing an e-scooter that had caught fire.

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Farrer Park fire caused by power assisted bicycle that was charging: SCDF

The massive fire that engulfed a landed property near Farrer Park MRT station on Friday evening was caused by a power assisted bicycle that was charging.

Preliminary findings indicate that the blaze that tore through the terrace house at 82 Sing Avenue “is of electrical origin & had originated from a power assisted bicycle which was being charged”, said the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) in a Facebook post on Sunday (Jul 8).

Members of the public can prevent such fires by not overcharging batteries, placing personal mobility devices on hard flat surfaces when charging to allow for optimal heat dissipation, and not charging the batteries near materials that catch fire easily, said the SCDF.

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3 rescued after e-scooter battery pack sparks fire in Senja HDB flat

An e-scooter battery pack sparked a fire in a HDB flat at Senja Road on Sat (March 10). FOTO: FACEBOOK/SINGAPORE CIVIL DEFENCE FORCE

3 people were rescued from a HDB flat in Senja Road after an e-scooter battery pack caused a fire.

In a Facebook post on Sat night (March 10), the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said it responded to the blaze in a 3rd-storey unit at 636C, Senja Road, at 9.05pm.

Firefighters had to force their way into the flat through the front door, & extinguished the fire using a compress air foam backpack and a water jet.

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Charging of PMD caused Tampines unit to be engulfed in flames

A fire broke out at Block 867A Tampines Street 83 yesterday (Jan 20) at about 5:30pm.

Stomp contributors Fiveros, Xiao Pheyy, Shawn, Adriel & Maria alerted Stomp to the fire.

Fiveros & Xiao Pheyy shared videos and photos from the scene of the incident.

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Singapore Civil Defence Force Yesterday at 05:44

At about 5:30pm today, SCDF responded to a unit fire at block 867A, Tampines St 83.

The raging fire had engulfed the living room and three bedrooms on the second level of the maisonette unit. The fire was extinguished by SCDF using two water jets. There were no reported injuries. The occupants of the affected unit and about 40 other residents evacuated prior to SCDF’s arrival. Preliminary investigation findings indicate the cause of fire is of electrical origin, and had originated from a Personal Mobility Device (PMD) which was being charged.

The popularity of PMDs in Singapore has risen in recent years and so has fires involving PMDs. SCDF would like to remind members of the public on the prevention of such fires.

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E-bike Exploded in an HDB & Injured 4 People, Including a Baby

According to the investigations, the fire was caused by an E-bike that was left to charge overnight

E-bikes, the eco-friendly option compared to the ones running on fuel is quite popular among Singaporeans.

I have seen a few whizzing past me in my neighbourhood—Singaporeans literally moving towards the smart nation initiative (was it a bad pun?).

Just like any other electric device, we have to charge it but what happens if you overcharge it?

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Infant, 3 others injured in Bukit Batok fire caused by e-bike charging overnight

The fire in Bukit Batok, which involved contents of a living room and corridor, was extinguished by SCDF with a water jet. (foto: Facebook / SCDF)

4 people, including an infant, were injured after a fire broke out in their Bukit Batok flat early on Thursday (Oct 12) morning.

The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said it was alerted to the incident on the 2nd floor of Block 231, Bukit Batok East Avenue 5 at about 3.50am.

The fire was put out with a water jet, said SCDF, adding that preliminary investigations showed that the blaze was caused by the overnight charging of an electric bicycle.

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5-day-old baby injured in fire caused by e-bike explosion in Bukit Batok

Yesterday morning (Thursday October 12) an infant, as well as three others, were injured in a fire that broke out in a Bukit Batok flat, according to news reports. The cause of the fire is suspected to be related to the overnight charging of an electric bike.

The Straits Times reports that the e-bike that caught fire belonged to the residents of a unit on the second floor. However, it was parked near the door of the opposite unit, where the residents are a couple and their newborn baby. They also sustained injuries in the blaze.

This is not the first time a fire has been caused by an overcharged electrical item, including e-bikes, phones and power banks. Last year, according to the SCDF, e-bikes caused 17 fires. Personal mobility devices caused 14 fires – up significantly from just one the previous year.

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Infant, 3 residents injured in fire caused by e-bike battery

The fire broke out on the second floor of Blk 231 Bukit Batok East Ave 5. The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said that the 4 suffered “minor injuries” and they were taken to the National University Hospital (NUH). Foto: SCDF

A resident of a flat and 3 other neighbours, including an infant, were injured during a fire caused by overnight charging of an electric bicycle on early Thursday (Oct 12) morning.

The fire broke out on the 2nd floor of Blk 231 Bukit Batok East Ave 5. The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said that the four suffered “minor injuries” and were taken to the National University Hospital (NUH).

The SCDF said it was alerted to the incident at about 3.50am, and put out the fire with a water jet.

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Infant and three others injured in fire caused by overnight charging of e-bike

Photo: Fire caused by e-bike overnight charging at Blk 231 Bukit Batok East Ave 5 / SCDF

A fire that was caused by overnight charging of an electric bicycle occurred on the second floor of an HDB block in Bukit Batok, injuring an infant and three other residents.

In a post on its Facebook page on Thursday (12 October), the Singapore Civil Defence Force said that it was alerted to the fire on the second floor of Blk 231 Bukit Batok East Ave 5 at about 3.50am.

The injured were sent to National University Hospital for minor injuries.

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Four people, including infant, injured in Bukit Batok fire caused by e-bike overnight charging

In the early hours of Thursday morning, a fire blazed its way through a Bukit Batok flat, injuring four residents. The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) was notified of the incident on the second floor of Blk 231, Bukit Batok East Ave 5 at 3:50am, and officers extinguished the flames with a water jet.

Preliminary investigations showed that the fire, which involved the contents of a living room and corridor, was caused by the overnight charging of an electric bicycle.

The four people, including one infant, suffered minor injuries and were brought to the National University Hospital, reported Channel NewsAsia.

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5-day-old baby injured in Bukit Batok fire after neighbour’s overcharged e-bike explodes

An electric bicycle that was left to charge overnight sparked a fire outside a Bukit Batok flat early on Oct 12, with four neighbours including a five-day-old baby taken to hospital.

The incident occurred at Block 231, Bukit Batok East Avenue 5, at 3.50am, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said in a Facebook post.

A living room and corridor were razed by the fire, which SCDF put out with a water jet.

The 24-year-old who gave her name only as Ms Nur said: “We woke up at around 3am because we heard loud popping sounds and we opened the door to take a look. That’s when we saw a lot of smoke.”

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3, including infant, injured in Bukit Batok fire caused by e-bike charging overnight

At least four people, including an infant, were injured on Thursday after a fire broke out in their Bukit Batok flat early in Singapore. According to reports, the wounded people were taken to the National University Hospital with minor injuries.

The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) told Chanel NewsAsia that it was informed about the fire on the second floor of Block 231, Bukit Batok East Avenue 5 at about 3.50 am.

However, SCDF added that the fire was extinguished with a water jet. The preliminary investigations have revealed that the fire was caused by the overnight charging of an electric bicycle.

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Fire breaks out in living room of Hougang flat

A fire broke out in the living room of a flat in Block 417 Hougang Avenue 8 today (Oct 17) at around 9.40am.

In a video sent by Stomper Zulfaa, flames and a column of smoke can be seen emerging from a window of the affected Housing Development Board unit on the 13th storey.

In response to a Stomp query, a spokesman from the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said that the fire was extinguished with a water jet.

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Fire breaks out at Blk 424 Tampines St 41

A fire broke out at Block 424 Tampines Street 41 today (Nov 10) at around 3.55pm.

Stomper Jackie was nearby when she noticed plumes of black smoke coming from a unit on the of the block.

According to the Stomper, nobody was at home.

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Another PMD catches fire after being charged overnight: Man climbed out of window of 10th-storey Yishun flat

Four people were injured after an e-scooter, that was left to charge overnight, caught fire in a 10th-storey unit at Block 260 Yishun Street 22 on Tuesday (Nov 7).

In response to media queries, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said that it was alerted to the incident at 10.40am.

The fire was put out by SCDF officers using buckets of water.

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4 residents, including baby, sent to hospital after fire caused by e-bike that was charged overnight at Bukit Batok East

Four people, including a baby, were injured when an e-bike caught fire outside a unit on the second floor of Block 231 Bukit Batok East Avenue 5 today (Oct 13) at 3.50am.

In a Facebook post, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said that the fire involved the contents of a living room and corridor and was extinguished with a water jet.

The four residents were taken to the National University Hospital (NUH)

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Exploding” e-bike battery causes half a million Euros worth of damage

AN ELECTRIC BIKE BATTERY IS REPORTED TO HAVE EXPLODED IN A GERMAN BIKE SHOP AND CAUSED HALF A MILLION EUROS WORTH OF DAMAGE

Thankfully nobody was hurt but the shop in Hannover was completely destroyed, an endangered driver also had to be rescued from the car park above the shop.

Shop owners report hearing a loud bang before several fires broke out around the shop that then spread quickly to engulf the building. It took 70 firefighters and 30 vehicles to finally extinguish the inferno.

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Dramatic escape for family of 13 as fire caused by e-bike battery engulfs neighbour's flat

A fire broke out on the 2nd floor of Blk 231 Bukit Batok East Ave 5 on Oct 12. The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said that the four suffered “minor injuries” and they were taken to the National University Hospital (NUH). foto: Najeer Yusof TODAY

Loud popping noises from outside his Bukit Batok flat roused technician Ishak Masrom from his slumber in the wee hours of Thursday morning (Oct 12).

When the 56-yr-old opened the door of his 2nd-floor unit to investigate, he was greeted by a small ball of fire metres away. The fire, which grew rapidly, was apparently sparked by his neighbour's overnight charging of an electric bicycle.

The father of 9 tried to put out the fire with pails of water. The flames quickly engulfed his neighbour's flat and made the corridor impassable.

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Fierce fire breaks out after e-bike battery explodes

A fierce fire in a indoor car park in Hanover, Germany has been attributed to an e-bike’s battery exploding.

According to a report from German news site Heise Online, “the explosion of an electric bicycle battery has triggered a car park fire in Hanover with half a million euro damage”.

Thankfully no-one was injured in the fire although one person did have to be evacuated by the fire service from smoke-filled car park decks via a ladder.

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Singapore Civil Defence Force 12 October 2017

SCDF was alerted to a fire incident on the second floor of Blk 231 Bukit Batok East Ave 5 at about 3.50am this morning. The fire, which involved contents of a living room and corridor, was extinguished by SCDF with a water jet.

Four residents, including an infant, were conveyed to NUH. Preliminary investigations indicated that the fire was caused by the overnight charging of an electric bicycle.

With the popularity of personal mobility devices (PMDs) such as electric bicycles in Singapore in recent years, SCDF would like to remind members of public on the prevention of such fires. The following are some fire safety tips on the prevention of battery fires involving PMDs.

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Fire breaks out in Tampines flat, 40 residents evacuated

Thick smoke coming from the unit that caught fire. (foto: Pooja Shukla)

A fire broke out in a Housing Board flat at Tampines Street 83 on Saturday afternoon (Jan 20), prompting 40 residents in the block to be evacuated.

The Singapore Civil Defence Force said it was alerted to the incident at Block 867A at about 5:30pm, adding that the blaze was extinguished using 2 water jets.

Residents of the second-floor maisonette unit, along with 40 others in the block, had evacuated before officers arrived. No injuries were reported.

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Over 65 residents evacuated after Serangoon North fire; 2 women taken to hospital

More than 65 residents were evacuated after a Housing & Development Board (HDB) flat in Serangoon North Ave 1 caught fire on Thursday (Jan 19) evening.

The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said that they were alerted to the fire at Block 147, Serangoon North Avenue 1 at 7:15pm. The contents of a bedroom were on fire.

A total of 16 residents who were “in close proximity & directly above” the affected unit were evacuated, the SCDF said. An additional 50 residents from the block were also evacuated.

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Fire in Toa Payoh flat forces 70 residents to evacuate from block

The living room of the burnt 15th-storey unit. TNP FOTOS:JOYCE FANG

She was asleep in the 5-room flat when the incessant ringing of the doorbell woke Miss Nur Atiqah yesterday morning.

The 22-yr-old, who was alone in the 16th-storey flat, then noticed black smoke.

Frightened, Miss Atiqah, a biotechnology student at Northumbria University, rushed out of her room to answer the door.

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70 residents evacuated after fire breaks out at Toa Payoh flat

About 70 residents were evacuated following a fire in a flat in Toa Payoh. (Photo: Screengrab of Facebook video)

About 70 residents were evacuated after a fire broke out at Block 45, Toa Payoh Lorong 5 on Wednesday morning (10 January).

The fire occurred in a flat on the 15th floor of the block, said the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF).

SCDF was alerted at 9.40am and forcibly entered the unit. The fire, which involved contents of the living room of the unit, was extinguished using two water jets.

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Pasir Ris flat partially gutted by e-bike battery fire

Part of a flat in Pasir Ris was destroyed after a fire sparked by an apparently overheated e-bike battery on Friday evening (Jul 8). The owner of the 5-room unit at Block 750, Pasir Ris Street 71 came home to find his living room gutted.

Mr Andy Nini, 44, told Channel NewsAsia his children - a son and two daughters - managed to flee the fire along with their domestic helper. He got a call that his flat was on fire at about 7pm, & said his mother, sister and neighbour helped take care of his children. His wife, Nancy, a radiography technician, was not at home at the time as well.

The aircraft painter said he had left his e-bike to charge by the window at about 3pm that day, then headed to work. "I don't know what happened to the battery. Suddenly it burst," adding that it normally takes about 5 hours to be fully charged.

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Four, including baby, in hospital after Bukit Batok e-bike fire

An electric bicycle that was left to charge overnight sparked a fire outside a Bukit Batok flat early on Thursday (Oct 12), with 4 neighbours including a 5-day-old baby taken to hospital. The incident occurred at Block 231, Bukit Batok East Avenue 5, at 3.50am, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said in a Facebook post.

A living room and corridor were razed by the fire, which SCDF put out with a water jet. The e-bike that caught fire is believed to belong to the residents of a unit on the 2nd floor. A woman from that unit was taken to hospital. The device was being charged outside and was parked near the door of the opposite unit. A couple and their 5-day-old baby in that unit were also taken to hospital with minor injuries.

The baby's aunt, who also lives with the family in the opposite unit, told The Straits Times on Thursday night that the infant is being monitored around the clock.

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Don’t leave your e-bike charging overnight: Fire Hazard!

4 people including a 5-day old newborn baby were sent to National University Hospital after an electric bicycle (e-bike) left charging overnight caught fire in the common corridor of an HDB block.

The incident happened at Block 231 Bukit Batok Avenue 5 at 3.05am yesterday. The 4 injured included the baby’s parents, the baby and a neighbour who lives next door.

According to the Singapore Civil Defence Force, more fires were caused by batteries of e-bikes, personal mobility devices (PMDs) and power banks last year. 17 fires were caused by electric bicycles, up from 14 in 2015.

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How to prevent battery fires involving PMDs

According to the investigations, the fire was caused by an E-bike that was left to charge overnight.

Here are some fire safety tips for owners of PMDs:

Avoid overcharging the battery, especially leaving it to charge overnight.
When charging such batteries, place them on hard flat surfaces to allow optimal dissipation of heat.
Do not place the charging battery near combustible materials