PUBLISHED ONJuly 21, 2026 9:50 AMBYEsther LamA power bank in a commuter's bag caught fire at Woodlands MRT station and smoke was seen billowing from it, while passengers were waiting for the train on Monday (July 20).
A photo shared with AsiaOne shows a pink handbag lying on the platform floor with smoke rising from it, while the platform appears hazy.
Another video shows at least six TransCom officers at the scene.
A commuter, identified only as Christina, told Stomp she was on her way to work when she noticed smoke and the smell of burning plastic at around 8.45am, while taking the escalator from the North-South Line platform to the Thomson-East Coast Line (TEL) platform.
"The whole place was filled with smoke and reeking of burning plastic," Stomp quoted her as saying.
Christina said the staff extinguished the fire by the time she reached the TEL platform.
In response to AsiaOne's queries, SMRT Trains president Lam Sheau Kai said that a commuter had been waiting for a train on the TEL when the power bank in her bag started emitting smoke.
Another commuter on the platform alerted the station staff, who quickly extinguished the fire. They then assisted the affected commuter, who suffered minor blisters on her fingers, said Lam.
"The station's exhaust ventilation system was activated to clear the smoke and maintain a safe environment for commuters. Trains bypassed Woodlands station for about 20 minutes while our staff managed the incident safely," he added.
Announcements were also made in trains and at stations to keep commuters informed.
"We would like to remind commuters to use only power banks with built-in safety features. This helps reduce the risk of overheating and other battery-related incidents," said Lam.
In response to AsiaOne's queries, the Singapore Civil Defence Force said it was alerted at about 9am to a fire at 11 Woodlands Square, which is the address of Woodlands MRT station.
The fire involved a power bank at the lower platform and was extinguished with a dry powder extinguisher, the SCDF added.
No injuries were reported and the cause of the fire is being investigated.
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