Fire destroys eight 'kongsi' units in Penang

BUKIT MERTAJAM: A fire destroyed eight units of workers quarters at a construction site in Jalan Perda Utama, Bandar Perda, here, today leaving several people homeless.
No one was injured in the blaze which started at about 10am, said Penang Fire and Rescue Department operations commander Muhammad Fauzi Bakar.
The fire also destroyed a lorry, a motorcycle and various construction tools, he said, adding that the cause of the fire and the damage had yet to be ascertained.
A worker, Mufarwa Abdullah, 42, said each of the units could accommodate between five and 10 people.
He said he was working at that time but quickly alerted fellow workers who were asleep in their units.
"It was fortunate that they heard my shouts and saved themselves. It just that we was not able to save our belongings as the fire spread so fast," said Mufarwa, who had worked for 10 years here. — Bernama