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When his BMW X1 burst into flames on the Bukit Timah Highway last Saturday, Lester Cher thought about going back to the SUV to retrieve some items.
But the memory of a recent fire involving another BMW made him think better of it.
The 33-year-old told The New Paper yesterday: “I kept thinking about the people in the Tanjong Pagar car accident. Five of them were burned. How scary.
“All those items that I wanted to recover were material goods and it was not worth risking my life for them.
“In fact, when I thought about how I almost fell victim to a car fire, I was so traumatized and shocked. But I’m safe and just grateful to be alive.
Cher, who declined to reveal her occupation, said she just backed off and saw her black car burn empty.
[[nid:519736]]In the Tanjong Pagar accident on February 13, five men were killed when the BMW M4 Coupe they were in crashed into a store and caught fire.
A woman is recovering in hospital after suffering severe burns while trying to save her boyfriend, who was the driver.
Mr. Cher was on his way to pick up his wife around 1.30 pm when he noticed a burning smell and white smoke emanating from the air conditioning vents.
Realizing something was wrong, he immediately stopped on a shoulder before Bukit Panjang’s departure.
“It was weird because there were no warning lights or messages from my car indicating that something was wrong.
“I even checked under the hood, but visually everything seemed fine,” said Cher, who bought the car secondhand in August of last year.
When the smoke started to thicken, he decided to check the fuse box and saw that it was on fire.
“I immediately called 995 and tried to alert passing motorists to see if anyone had a portable fire extinguisher. Unfortunately, no one stopped.”
When the Emas Vehicle Recovery Service team arrived, their attempt to put out the fire was futile as the flames had grown too large.
The Singapore Civil Defense Force (SCDF) arrived minutes later and extinguished the fire with a jet of water and a compressed air foam backpack.
His spokesman told TNP that no injuries were reported and that the cause of the fire is under investigation.
“The fire was so strong that it melted the tires on my car and destroyed it,” Cher said.
He added that cash cards, some documents, a car seat and a stroller were also destroyed.
Cher said she had sent her car to Performance Motors’ East Coast Center last Thursday to replace a faulty fuse box connected to the auxiliary outlet.
“I don’t know if that’s the reason my car caught fire. But I plan to talk to people at the BMW workshop on Monday to find out how it could have happened.”
Eric Cheong, 56, director of BH Auto Services, told TNP that those vehicle fires are likely caused by a short circuit and are not uncommon.
MODIFY
Drivers who modify their car engines or add new components are more likely to encounter such mishaps, he said.
Cher said she has not made any modifications to her car.
Cheong, who has been in the automobile industry for more than 15 years, recommended that motorists have a portable fire extinguisher in their vehicle.
“You never know when you will need it.”
He advised drivers not to use water to put out electrical fires, as it is ineffective and poses a risk of electrocution because water conducts electricity.
“If you don’t know if it’s an electrical fire or not, just refrain from pouring water on it. Instead, keep your distance and call 995.”
As for Mr. Cher, his experience has taught him the value of having a portable fire extinguisher in his next car.
“I may not dare to fight a big fire. But at least it will be available if I need it.”
