Arson responsible for Seremban wet market fire

SEREMBAN: The State Fire and Rescue Services Department today revealed that the fire which destroyed the upper floor of the Seremban wet market was a work of arson.
Revealing this, department chief, Norazam Khamis based on the investigation conducted by the department, five accelerant samples had been found in front of a Kedai Makanan Dan Minuman Seng Hing, located on the first floor of the building.
"Someone had deliberately set fire to the market which eventually destroyed the upper floor. It was the work of some arsonist.
"The samples had been analysed by the department's Fire Investigation Lab team, and the results had shown that all samples contained ignitable liquid residue which was petrol," he said.
He was speaking to reporters after briefing Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan.
"During the investigation, two sniffer dogs from the K9 unit were also deployed at the location and all of them pointed to the same place," he said.
Norazam also said that the department's late arrival at the scene during the rescue operation was due to the late emergency call received by the department.
The fire on Sept 9, destroyed more than 80% of the upper level involving 392 stalls selling a vareity of products and is believed to have started about 7.30pm.
It will cost RM6 million to repair the damage.
A worker was weighing vegetables from a lorry when he heard the explosion which caused reverberations in the ground floor where he was standing.
Mohamad Hasan, meanwhile, said the government had appointed a company with a good track record in the list of the Public Works Department and Seremban Municipal Council (MPS) to undertake the repair work.
The Seremban main market, which is known to locals as Pasar Besar Seremban, is one of the town's landmark and was built in 1975.