No foul play in Kampung Cina shophouses fire - JBPM

KUALA TERENGGANU: The Terengganu Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) found no element of crime in the fire incident involving a row of shophouses in Kampung Cina here, last Sunday night.

Its director, Md Hilman Abd Rashid, said the department was now focusing on other elements suspected to have caused the fire that engulfed the 12 shophouses.

"Yesterday, we came to investigate. In the initial stage, we used the K9 unit from Kuala Lumpur to identify the cause of the fire, but they found no element of a crime.

"So we will focus on other causes, possibly due to the electrical wiring... we also do not rule out other causes, we have to go (investigate) every possible cause," he told reporters after accompanying Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar to the scene today.

According to Md Hilman, the excavation process needs to be done manually to find the real cause of the incident due to groundwater at the site.

"This will take some time, and once we get the evidence, we will take it to the laboratory (for analysis), and the result may be out in a week.

"As long as the investigation at the scene is not completed, we will cordon off this area," he said.

He also advised owners of old buildings to make new electrical wiring to avoid untoward incidents, adding that there are more than 50 old buildings in Kampung Cina that were built since the 1940s.

Meanwhile, Ahmad Samsuri said the state government would hold discussions with the owners involved to ensure the redevelopment of the premises destroyed by the fire can be done according to the characteristics of the area.

"We have to convince the owners so that the state government can help maintain the atmosphere here," said Ahmad Samsuri, who also presented a contribution of RM2,000 to each head of household involved.

He said a town hall session with agencies such as the JBPM would also be held to provide information on safety aspects to the residents of Kampung Cina and other densely populated areas to prevent similar incidents from recurring.

-- BERNAMA