On Tuesday, 27 January, many people were shocked by a sudden bush fire near the Al Mahabah Mosque at Taman Bukit Mewah, Johor Bahru. A small fire in a grassy field took off and within a few minutes caused 18 vehicles parked there to be damaged.
Smoke and flames attracted the attention of the residents and passers-by. Regardless of the damage, the authorities later affirmed that no one was reported to have been hurt.
At 1:32 pm, the Johor Fire and Rescue Department was called upon to attend to an emergency. A fire crew of the Larkin Fire and Rescue Station responded minutes later to the scene.
Fire engines were received at the time of approximately 1.45 pm, and the fire was already spreading on an area of approximately 0.372 hectares of land. Hot dry bushes and heat contributed to the spread of the flames being rapid towards vehicles around them.
Fire Extends to Parked Cars
Some vehicles parked in and around the bushes were severely damaged. Cars like a Hyundai Atos, Perodua Kancil, Naza Ria, Proton Perdana, proton savvy, perodua kelisa, a van and a proton saga FLX were severely damaged. Firefighters estimated that80 per cent of such vehicles were destroyed. Five other vehicles were also burned in the frenzy so badly they could not be identified.
Other cars were not so bad but nonetheless affected by the heat and smoke. Some of those that sustained a slight amount of damage of approximately five per cent included a Proton Saga, BMW E60, Proton Inspira, and a Perodua Kelisa. The view of the melted sections and blackened surfaces indicated how near the fire got to spreading even more.
Hours of Battle by Firefighters
Firefighters were cautious enough to ensure that the fire did not spread to other buildings, such as the mosque. The nine workers were involved in suppression of the flames using water supplied by local hydrants and fire pumps. It was not until approximately 2.37 pm that the fire was contained but even then cooling operations went on several hours before ensuring that there were no hidden fires.
At 5.20 pm the fire was completely put out. Security was established in the area and the authorities started inspecting the damage. People living around there were happy to witness the fire being contained, particularly considering that the mosque and the neighboring houses were not affected.
The event was both worrying and thankful since there were no casualties. Most vehicle owners were in unexpected losses however, the promptness by the firefighters ensured that the situation did not escalate to the worst. The silent neighbourhood was gradually brought back to reality with the smoking ceasing and clean-up starting.
Watch the video here:
@fikzsora Kebakaran di Taman Bukit Mewah, belakang Fzr Motorworkshop, semoga pomen tabah dan owner kereta juga tabah, dikhabarkan berpunca dari orang bakar sampah.
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