PETALING JAYA: A total of 124 petrol stations across Perak were issued fines for failing to provide fire extinguishers at their premises during a raid by the Perak State Fire and Rescue Department, last night.
According to Harian Metro, state fire and rescue department director Sayani Saidon, said the operation dubbed Ops Terjah, involving 35 fire stations throughout Perak, inspected 135 petrol station premises.
“We found that most petrol stations keep their fire extinguishers inside the business premises at night for security reasons, to prevent vandalism or theft,“ she said.
“However, this goes against Section 52 of Fire Services Act 1988, which requires fire extinguishers to be placed in their designated locations to ensure the safety of petrol stations and protection against fires.”
“If the necessary fire extinguishing equipment is not in its designated place, it increases the risk of fire and the likelihood of more serious fires occurring,“ she added.
She said the enforcement actions aim to educate petrol station owners on the importance of compliance with regulations for safety purposes.
“We must not prioritise profit to the extent that fire safety aspects are overlooked or neglected because this is the primary means to prevent fires at an early stage,“ she added.
