Fire HAZARDS

KUANTAN: One in every two tahfiz schools in the country has been found to be unsafe. Fire and Rescue Department Director-General Datuk Wan Mohd Nor Ibrahim said of 956 tahfiz (religious) schools checked by his department so far, more than 50% are not safe.

“They have to take steps to upgrade their fire safety measures to meet stipulated standards, or risk being closed,” he said.

“They have to be seriously prepared to face any danger, especially fire. There must be safety exits ready for use if there is a fire,” he said yesterday.

Tahfiz schools nationwide were inspected by the department following the fire tragedy at Tahfiz Darul Quran Ittifaqiyah in Kampung Datuk Keramat in

Kuala Lumpur on Sept 14 that claimed 23 lives.

Wan Mohd warned that the department will be taking stern action to ensure tahfiz schools comply with fire safety requirements.

“We will issue legal notices to schools that fail to follow the requirements to ensure the safety of its residents,” he added.

Last month, Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government Minister Tan Sri Noh Omar said a total of 144 notices had been issued by the Fire and Rescue Department to 76 tahfiz schools and orphanages for failing to comply with safety standards.

In the Tahfiz Darul Quran Ittifaqiyah tragedy, 21 students and two wardens perished in the fire after they were trapped in the dormitory located on the third floor of the building.

It was later discovered that the fire was due to arson, allegedly committed by some youths aged 11 to 18.

Two suspects were charged with murder over the deaths of the 23 people, while the rest of the suspects faced drug abuse charges.

Senior citizens Francis Leong and wife Josephine, both 75, using a ladder which doubles up as a trolley, an invention by the Malacca Fire and Rescue Department, to cart a fire extinguisher at the fire prevention and innovation campaign in Kuantan...