Bomba Says Fire At Tahfiz School Was Not Caused By Short Circuit
21 students and two teachers died in a fire that broke out at Pusat Tahfiz Darul Quran Ittifaqiyah in Kuala Lumpur on 14 September.
By Nandini Balakrishnan — 15 Sep 2017, 12:30 PM
A massive fire killed 23 people at the Darul Quran Ittifaqiyah tahfiz school early morning yesterday, 14 September
The fire broke out at 5.15am at Pusat Tahfiz Darul Quran Ittifaqiyah at Jalan Keramat Hujung in Kuala Lumpur yesterday, 14 September.
Image via MalaysiakiniBased on initial investigations, authorities said on Thursday that the fire may have been caused by a short-circuit.
However, after conducting further investigations, they revealed that the fire was not caused by a short-circuit, as the building's main switch is in a good condition.
"We found that the fire had spread in a strange and unusual manner, quickly, and in a big way. Usually, if a short circuit is the cause, the main fuse would trip and it would take at least 30 minutes for the fire to spread.
"Based on information from surviving victims, the fire started outside the door to the hostel, trapping them inside.
"Additionally, there were two gas canisters there, which could have contributed to a bigger fire and it spreading fast," City Fire and Rescue Department director Khirudin Drahman explained, as reported by Bernama yesterday.
He also said that the Fire and Rescue Department believes that there were other elements outside the building that contributed to the cause of the fire. The authorities are currently conducting a detailed investigation on the incident.
Meanwhile, Utusan Malaysia reported that the presence of the two gas canisters has raised suspicion on the possibility of mischief being the cause of the fire
Surviving witnesses told the Malay daily that it is unusual for gas canisters to be placed at higher floors as students are not allowed to cook.
"The information from the student was that the others were trapped and could not escape through the only door because the fire was too strong.
"So they opted for the windows. They had to break through the grilles. They also said that they heard a hissing sound coming from the blaze at the door," Khirudin told The Malaysian Insight.
Mohd Arif Awardi, one of the staffs at the tahfiz school, also said that the presence of the gas canisters was "peculiar" as they were not there when he checked the dormitory area the night before the incident at around 11pm.
"Gas canisters are normally placed in the ground floor of the school, and they are green coloured canisters, not yellow," he explained, as reported by Malay Mail Online.
The authorities have released the complete list of victims that perished in the fire
Family members of the victims in tears as they wait outside the school for news of their loved ones.
Image via Reuters via Straits TimesThe Star reported that out of the 23 that died, 21 were students and the other two were teachers at the tahfiz school:
1. Muhammad Danieal Md Amin, 14
2. Ahmad Rijal Mohammad Rodzi, 13
3. Muhammad Hasrullah Ismaik, 14
4. Muhammad Haikal Abdullah, 12
5. Muhammad Aidil Aqmal Mohd Zamzuri, 10
6. Muhammaf Fahmie Abdullah, 11
7. Muhammad Afiq Haqimie Hairulizwan, 11
8. Muhammad Aiman Ramzanudin, 12
9. Azkar Dariemi F. Zaska, 8
10. Nik Muhammad Ridzuan Nik Azlan
11. Azkar Abiedi F. Zaska, 11
12. Umar Al Khatab Helmi, 6
13. Amiel Asyraaf Abd Rasid, 11
14. Muhammad Nizammudin Nasrun, 13
15. Muhammad Hafiz Iskandar Sulaiman, 11
16. Muhammad Harris Ikhwan Mohd Sulaiman, 10
17. Muhammad Taufik Hidayat Norazizan, 16
18. Ahmad Harith Adam Mohd Nor Hadi, 12
19. Muhammad Hazim Ahmad Nor, 13
20. Muhammad Syafik Haikal Abdullah, 13
21. Muhammad Zattulah Roslan, 11
22. Mohd Yusuf Md, 26 (teacher)
23. Mohd Amrul Nizam Sakarno, 25 (teacher)
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi offered his heartfelt condolences to the victims' families and informed that the government will bear all the funeral costs for victims in the Darul Quran Ittifaqiyah tahfiz school fire, reported The Star.
