An illegal factory store believed to have been used to store illegal fireworks caught fire this evening, resulting in loud sounds of explosions and firework-sparks in the Saleng Industrial area, Senai, near here.

Bandar Baru Kulai Fire and Rescue station chief Solleh Nasir said the department received a call at 5.19pm and when firemen arrived at the scene, there was a fire in the storage area of a factory.

"The burned area measuring 100x40 square feet is believed to have been used as a store for fireworks, and we are working to control the fire so that it does not spread to other factories," he said here, today, adding that the fire was brought under control at 8.16pm.

Johor Bahru Fire and Rescue Department Operations Division assistant director Mohd Rizal Buang said lack of access to proper water supply was the main reason why it took so long to control the fire.

"Due to the fact that the factory is illegal, it has no fire hydrant or permanent water resource. Our personnel and assets were forced to fill up the water tanks from locations up to five kilometres away," he said adding that the fire was found to have spread fast due to the presence of flammable items such as recycled materials made of plastic and packages filled with fireworks.

-- BERNAMA