A fire destroyed six three-storey shoplot units housing a private college in Butterworth, with over 50 firefighters working to extinguish the blaze.
BUTTERWORTH: A fire destroyed six three-storey shoplot units housing a private college on Jalan Perai Jaya here on Wednesday (December 31).
Penang Fire and Rescue Department assistant director of operations John Sagun Francis said the department received an emergency call at 5.10 pm.
A fire engine from the Perai Fire and Rescue Station was immediately dispatched to the scene.
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“The fire involved six three-storey shoplot units, each with an estimated floor area of 93 square metres (1,000 square feet),” he said in a statement.
He said the blaze started on the ground floor, which had been reconfigured from six units into one.
The fire then spread to other levels before being brought under control at 6.34 pm.
As of 10 pm, over 50 firefighters from multiple stations were still carrying out extinguishing works.
Firefighters from the Bandar Perda, Penanti and Sungai Bakap Fire and Rescue Stations were assisted by volunteer fire brigades.
The cause of the fire and the total losses are still under investigation. – Bernama
