Teenage boy detained not involved in tahfiz centre fire - IGP

The teenage boy who was arrested Friday is not a suspect in connection with the fire at Darul Quran Ittifaqiyah Religious Residential Centre at Jalan Keramat Ujung here, said Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Mohamad Fuzi Harun.

"Yes, we have made an arrest but he is not a suspect involved in the fire and his arrest was to assist in police investigations," he said when contacted.

Earlier, the local media reported that police detained a tahfiz student as he was believed to have slipped out of the hostel a few hours before the fire.

The matter had also gone viral on social media raising various speculation.

READ: 'There were people loitering near the tahfiz centre before the fire' - PPIM

Meanwhile, a staff member who chose to remain anonymous said the teenager who was taken to the scene was not a student of the centre but was believed to have been involved in a theft case at the Muslim Consumers Association of Malaysia (PPIM) office.

According to him, the PPIM building located next to the religious centre was under renovation and the theft could have occurred during the renovation.

"Prior to this there were cases of stealing from the vending machine located in front of the office" he said adding that the teenager was from the area.

"The boy is not from the religious centre as I recognise all the students of this school," he said.The 5.15 am fire yesterday, claimed the lives of 21 students and two teachers after they were trapped in the building.

-- BERNAMA