Second fire breaks out at Jakel garment outlet in Malaysia
03 January, 2023
A second fire has broken out at Wisma Jakel on Tuesday (Jan 3), after a fire destroyed the five-storey store on New Year's Day.
The fire broke out at the curtain store room on the store's premises. Director of the Selangor Fire and Rescue Department (JPBM) Norazam Khamis said the department received a distress call at 12.40am.
A total of 43 firefighters were mobilised to the scene and the fire was extinguished at 3.07am. No casualties were reported and overhaul work is in progress, he said.
Jakel Group, a popular Malaysian garment and textile retailer, preliminary estimated almost RM100 million (S$30 million) in losses after the blaze broke out on Sunday. It took several hours to put out the fire. Photos of the incident shared by local authorities as well as social media users showed fierce flames as well as billowing smoke from the corner lot, near a busy traffic intersection.
The group's managing director Mohamed Faroz Mohamed Jakel said the amount only involved the value of the Shah Alam building, and the actual losses have yet to be determined.
"This is a big loss for the company but we accept it as our fate,” he said, adding that the yearly sales turnover from the Jakel Shah Alam branch was about RM300 million.
Mohamed Faroz said the company will try to find a temporary location around Shah Alam soon to continue its business before the arrival of Ramadan and Hari Raya Puasa this year.
Shah Alam district police chief Mohd Iqbal Ibrahim said a short circuit was believed to be the cause of the fire and no casualties were reported.
The Selangor JBPM has mobilised its K9 Tracker Dog Unit to the site to conduct forensic work and determine the cause of the incident.
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Source: www.channelnewsasia.com