Fires from unattended cooking or electrical origin and fires involving Fire Safety Code breaches from 2023 to 2025

Question:

Ms Cassandra Lee: To ask the Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs (a) over the past three years, what proportion of fires arose from electrical sources and cooking in homes and commercial premises; (b) how many involved Fire Safety Code breaches or non-compliant batteries; and (c) what plans the Ministry has to strengthen fire safety frameworks and measures and ensure effective enforcement, to reduce fire incidents.

Answer:

Mr K Shanmugam, Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs:

1. From 2023 to 2025, the proportion of fires attributable to unattended cooking or electrical origin in residential premises was 68%, 65% and 59% respectively. The corresponding figures in commercial premises were 66%, 72% and 67% respectively.

2. Over the same period, 5 fires in residential premises and 11 fires in commercial premises involved breaches of the Fire Code. For fires involving batteries, SCDF does not track whether the batteries were compliant with the prevailing regulatory requirements.

3. The Member may wish to refer to MHA’s response to the Adjournment Motion on “Fire Safety in Our Homes” on 12 January 2026 regarding our approach towards fire safety in homes and tackling fire safety risks in general.