Charging batteries overnight may seem convenient, but it can cause deadly accidents.
Two people died when a fire broke out in a two-storey house in Parry Avenue, near Yio Chu Kang Road, on June 6, 2015.
A coroner’s inquiry revealed that a set of drone batteries charging overnight could have sparked the fire.
Related: The one thing you must do to prevent your phone from overheating
On Feb 17, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) released its annual statistics for last year.
It highlighted the higher number of cases of fires originating from rechargeable batteries as a cause for concern.
According to the SCDF, the number of fires involving the batteries of electric bicycles, personal mobility devices and power banks increased from 16 in 2015 to 34 last year.
The number of personal mobility device battery fires surged from one in 2015 to 14 last year.
The SCDF said battery fires can be caused by faulty electrical circuitry. The high current drawn by such circuitry can generate enough heat to ignite materials near the devices.
Assistant Commissioner Ling Young Ern, department director of SCDF operations, said yesterday: “In general, we do not advise the overnight charging of batteries because you can never monitor when it is fully charged when you are sleeping. The tendency to overcharge is high.”
Related: Pros and cons: Should you give your child a mobile phone?
A version of this article first appeared in The Straits Times.
(Photo: 123RF.com)
