Many premises uncertified as owners unwilling to pay extra - Bomba DG

Bomba director-general Datuk Wan Mohd Nor Ibrahim said many premises could not get the Bomba certification was because the owners were stingy to pay the extra cost to meet the necessary requirements.

Such an attitude among building owners, he said,, sometimes ended in tragedy, with loss of lives, especially when fire broke out as there was no escape for the occupants.

"In many cases involving failure of premise owners to get Bomba certification, the excuse given is because they cannot afford to meet the requirement on the design and safety features required to prevent fire as suggested by Bomba.

"What they (building owners) do not realise is that they are endangering the lives of others, which is a bigger loss and cannot be replaced with money," he said when contacted by Bernama here today.

He said before construction of a building and its occupancy had to meet certain procedures.

"The architect has to submit the building design and plan to the local government authority (PBT) for approval, like the sewage and drainage system, as well as other agencies for installation of electricity and water supply.

"Bomba will look from safety aspects, in terms of the design and safety features, like fire-fighting equipment," he said.

Wan Mohd Nor said the process took only 37 days, following which the building contractor could start work on its project according to the design and specification approved by PBT.

After completion of the building and Certificate of Fitness (CF) or Temporary Certificate of Fitness (TCF) or Certificate of Completion and Compliance (CCC) had been obtained, he said Bomba would carry out the final inspection.

If all the fire safety system and installation are in order and good condition, a certification would be issued within five days after the fee payment, he said, adding that the certification would be valid for 12 months.

Yesterday, Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government Minister Tan Sri Noh Omar was reported to have said that the religious residential school building in Keramat here, which caught fire, had no CF and it had been renovated without approval.

Twenty-one students and two wardens perished in the fire which broke out at 5.15 am yesterday.