A Mercedes-Benz caught fire inside Singapore’s Sime Underpass on Sept. 26, sending flames and thick smoke through the tunnel and temporarily disrupting traffic.
The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said it received a call at about 4.55pm reporting a vehicle fire along the Sime Underpass towards Lornie Highway. Firefighters arrived and extinguished the blaze using a water jet and a hose reel. No injuries were reported.
Videos circulating online showed the Mercedes engulfed in flames near the side of the underpass, with heavy smoke rising from the vehicle. The footage also showed the fire spreading across much of the car as emergency crews responded.
The Land Transport Authority said an accident had occurred along the Sime Underpass towards Lornie Highway and that the underpass was closed following the incident.
The vehicle was identified in footage as a Mercedes-Benz C-Class. There was no indication in the available reports that the vehicle was an electric car.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation, and authorities have not linked the incident to any specific mechanical, electrical or other fault.
Vehicle fires remain a recurring safety issue in Singapore. SCDF recorded 193 vehicle fires in 2025 in its annual fire statistics, with ignition sources such as overheating and electrical faults among the main causes identified for vehicle fires.
The Sime Underpass incident comes only days after another vehicle fire in Tampines and amid renewed attention on vehicle-fire risks following several incidents involving both conventional cars and electric vehicles.
For motorists, a vehicle fire inside a tunnel presents additional challenges because smoke can rapidly reduce visibility and emergency access can be more difficult than on an open road.
The latest incident ended without reported injuries, but the investigation into what caused the Mercedes to catch fire remains ongoing.
