IPOH: The Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) will be issuing guidelines for the installation of solar panels in business premises, homes and other buildings in the country.
JBPM director-general Datuk Nor Hisham Mohamad (pix) said the guidelines need to be implemented to ensure effective control before being considered safe.
He said the guidelines will touch on security controls when there is a fire like the one which occurred in Mydin Manjoi recently.
“In the Mydin Manjoi fire, the fire brigade could not make manual holes on the roof of the supermarket due to the solar panels that were joined together for ventilation purposes.
“When we can’t manually make holes in the roof, it’s hard to detect the fire. This is one of the discoveries we identified and this is what we have to put in the guidelines later,“ he said at a press conference after the 2023 Excellent Service Award ceremony, 30-Year Service Certificate and Perak JBPM Commendation Service Certificate Presentation near here today.
According to Nor Hisham, the guidelines will also involve the Energy Commission (ST) and the Sustainable Energy Development Authority (SEDA).
“A lot can be learned from the fire (Mydin Manjoi) and I see the need for appropriate controls or guidelines in the installation of these solar panels.
“We will clarify on the distance between the panels, the appropriate size, grouping of panels and other technical matters when installing solar panels at home or any premises,“ he said.
Nor Hisam also stated that the fire department has completed the investigation into the cause of the Mydin Manjoi fire that occurred on March 10, which was caused by one of the electrical distribution panels in the building.
“We have completed the investigation and the full report has been brought to the headquarters and we have identified the main cause of the incident in our finding,“ he said.
Meanwhile, he said JBPM will focus on 652 fire hotspots across the country following the current dry season.
“Among the locations we prioritise are rubbish dumps, bush fires, forests and peatlands which increased from 50 cases to 250 cases of fire in a day.
“Three states have recorded large open fires, namely Selangor, Johor, and Sarawak, so we will focus on the hotspot locations that have been identified,“ he said. –Bernama
