SMRT bus emits smoke-like vapour on TPE; 30 passengers transferred after coolant leak
Thirty passengers had to switch buses on the evening of 16 October after what appeared to be smoke started coming from the engine compartment of an SMRT Service 110 bus travelling along the Tampines Expressway (TPE). SMRT said no one was hurt and that there was no fire.
According to SMRT Buses deputy managing director Vincent Gay, who responded to queries from AsiaOne and MS News, the incident happened at about 9.15pm. The bus captain stopped the bus at the next bus stop and alerted SMRT’s Bus Operations Control Centre. All 30 passengers were then transferred safely to the next bus to continue their journeys. Lianhe Zaobao, as cited by AsiaOne, reported that the bus stop was near the junction of the TPE and Punggol Road.
The bus was towed to the depot for inspection. “Preliminary checks found that coolant had leaked from a PVC pipe onto a hot component. This produced vapour that appeared to be smoke. There was no fire,” Mr Gay said, adding that investigations are ongoing to determine the cause of the leak.
A video of the incident posted on Instagram by @sgwatchla showed white vapour coming from the rear of the bus as passengers, some carrying luggage, got off calmly at the bus stop. Some went back on board to tap their cards. Service 110 runs to Changi Airport.
The incident drew attention online because of a string of bus fires earlier this year. Some netizens asked whether the bus was a Mercedes-Benz Citaro, although SMRT’s statement did not name the model. According to the Ministry of Transport, at least three public bus fires involving the Citaro model were reported in the first half of 2026, with no injuries: an SBS Transit bus along the Pan-Island Expressway in February, another SBS Transit bus on the TPE in March, and a third bus near Woodgrove Primary School in May.
Replying to a parliamentary question in August, Senior Minister of State for Transport Murali Pillai said investigations showed that those fires were caused by failures of different parts, with no indication of a common underlying cause, and that the parts involved were within their manufacturer-recommended useful life. As a precaution, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) had instructed public bus operators to carry out additional inspections on the Mercedes-Benz buses, and no abnormalities were found. LTA is working with operators to improve the inspection regime for older buses and to assess whether further preventive measures can reduce the risk of fire.
For fleet operators, the episode is a reminder that cooling system hoses and pipes are worth close attention during routine maintenance, particularly on older vehicles that run long daily hours. It also shows the value of a clear on-road drill: stop safely, alert the control centre and move passengers away from the vehicle until the cause is known.
SGFleetGuide will report SMRT’s findings on the cause of the leak if they are made public.
Source: AsiaOne — Read the original
