Kota Kinabalu: Be calm. Turn off the gas valve, unplug the gas head (gas regulator) and close the electrical switch that is not in use, in case you smell gas or there is a kitchen fire!”Assistant Director of the Fire Investigation Division Sabah Senior Fire Chief I, Johari Dzulkiflie, said panic is one of the reasons small fires can spread and destroy a house.
“In addition, every house is also recommended to have an ABC type fire extinguisher that can help put out small fires and prevent them from spreading to other areas,” he said.
In 2022, a total of 641 fire cases involved building structures and vehicles. Some 489 cases were structural fires, 152 were vehicle fires caused by accident, 471 cases were non-accidental and 18 cases were deliberately set on fire.
SPONSORED CONTENT Shell’s Access to Energy helps power lives of isolated communities in Sabah Kota Kinabalu: In 2017, Sabah Shell Petroleum Co Ltd (SSPC) launched Access to Energy (A2E), a Shell Social Investment programme aimed at providing affordable and continuous supply of electricity from renewable sources for communities who live without connection to the electricity grid. Read more “We will investigate fires which were deliberately set, obtain evidence and then send reports to the Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM) for further investigation to identify the perpetrators,” he said.
“Out of these 641 fire cases, 56 per cent was due to electrical problems, 25 per cent caused by gas kitchen equipment and 19 per cent of other causes.”
Johari added, when a fire occurred or gas leak, the gas cylinder would not explode because the full cylinder has a stable pressure unless the cylinder experiences extreme heat, the air in the cylinder expands or there is a weak area in the cylinder at that time which could trigger explosion.
He also advised the community to always remind family members and colleagues about the safety plan in the event of a fire.
Meanwhile, Head of Fire Investigation Branch Zone 1, JBPM Sabah, Nur Sahidatul Hafizah Selag, explained his duty as an investigator in midwifery Fire Forensics requires high commitment and needs to be ready at all times.
“In addition to the skills of conducting investigations, investigating officers also need to be skilful practicing effective communication to make it easier for officers to get information from witnesses to the incident.
“We need to be ready regardless of the time to go to the field in the event of a fire in the Kota Kinabalu Zone involving the districts of Kota Kinabalu, Penampang, Putatan and Tuaran.
She also admitted that as a fire forensic expert, an officer needs to participate in various courses and training in order to strengthen his knowledge and skills in the task.
She started serving in the Fire and Rescue Department, Training Division at the Head Office in Putrajaya before moving to the Kota Kinabalu Zone Office, JBPM and being placed in the Fire Forensics section.
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