Kelantan Fire and Rescue Department denies claims of slow response

KOTA BARU: The Kelantan Fire and Rescue Department has denied allegations that assistance arrived late at the scene of a fire that destroyed eight houses here on Monday.
Its director Nazili Mahmood said due to the efficiency of 30 firefighters from four fire and rescue stations namely Kota Baru, Kota Darul Naim, Pasir Tumboh and Tunjong, more than 40 homes, with property valued at RM2 million, at the squatter area in Jalan Berek 12, here was saved.
"Losses due to fire was estimated at RM250,000 but without efficient firefighters on duty that day, undoubtedly bigger losses would have been incurred. We understand that during the incident, it was very windy and it certainly caused the fire to spread fast as most of those involved were wooden houses," he told reporters after visiting the site here, today.
Previously, there were claims on social media that the slow arrival of fire and rescue teams had caused the destruction of eight houses due to the fire.
He said the department had also opened the Post Incident Service Centre (PSPI) at the scene in an effort to help the victims involved in the management of important documents that were destroyed in the fire. — Bernama