‘TOO EARLY TO

Police still waiting for forensic reports, says IGP

KUALA LUMPUR

POLICE have yet to reclassify the Darul Quran Ittifaqiyah tahfiz school fire as arson, pending report from the Forensic Departments and Fire and Rescue Department.

Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Mohamad Fuzi Harun said the fire, which resulted in the deaths of 23 people on Thursday, had been classified as sudden death.

He said police would consider reclassifying the case if the forensic and fire reports indicated that an act of mischief or arson was involved.

“As of now, the case is classified as sudden death, but if there are any new leads indicating otherwise, or the forensic reports show suspicious elements, then we’ll do the necessary,” he said.

Fuzi added that it was too early to draw conclusions as the forensic reports were not ready and the authorities were recording statements from witnesses and others at the pre-dawn fire in Jalan Keramat Ujung.

“It’s too early. We will wait for the full reports from the authorities before deciding on the next course of action,” Fuzi said.

He was responding to questions on whether the incident could have involved arson or criminal elements, following a claim that two gas cylinders were found outside the dormitory on the third floor.

Initial investigations showed that the fire started outside the dormitory near the stairways, trapping victims inside the building.

On Thursday, Fire and Rescue Department director Khirudin Drahman said initial checks suggest that the fire was not caused by a short circuit.

He said a thorough inspection and investigation was ongoing to determine the cause of the fire.

Fuzi was speaking to reporters after a handing over of duty ceremony for the Special Branch, Narcotics Crime Investigation Department and Criminal Investigation Department at the federal police headquarters in Bukit Aman here yesterday.

The event was witnessed by Home Ministry secretary-general Datuk Seri Alwi Ibrahim.

Former Narcotics director, Datuk Seri Mohd Mokhtar Mohd Shariff replaces Fuzi as the Special Branch director.

Former Federal Criminal Investigation Department director Datuk Seri Mohmad Salleh has been appointed as the new Narcotics Crime Investigation Department head.

Former Johor police chief Datuk Seri Wan Ahmad Najmuddin Mohd will take Mohmad’s position.

NAFIS PIC BY SAIRIEN Inspector-General of Police Datuk Seri Mohamad Fuzi Harun talking to some of the victims’ family members at the National Institute of Forensic Medicine in Kuala Lumpur, yesterday.