Another tahfiz school fire, 37 cheat death
> Predawn blaze partially destroys female student hostel
SEREMBAN: Fire razed about 60% of a female student hostel at the Maahad Tahfiz Yayasan Sofa in Rembau early yesterday.
Negri Sembilan Fire and Rescue director Norazam Khamis said the blaze at the hostel occupied by 37 students was detected at 1.50am and 18 personnel from the station in Rembau, Tampin, were deployed.
“Our personnel arrived 10 minutes after receiving a distress call and managed to control the fire in 15 minutes and completely doused it after half an hour.”
He said none of the students were injured although three who suffered from asthma were taken to the Tampin Hospital.
Meanwhile in KUANTAN, the Regent of Pahang Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah has ordered all orphanages and tahfiz centres in the state which are not registered to do so immediately.
He said the registration of the centres, whether with the Social Welfare Department or the Pahang Islamic Religious Department, was essential so that the authorities could conduct safety inspections and channel aid to the establishments.
He said the requirement to register the schools cannot be waived even if the establishments only enrolled a small number of students, Bernama reported.
“The issue of safety must be given priority,” he said.