Penthouses destroyed in fire at condo
NST 19/05/2004
 
PENANG, Tues. - A fire at the 12-storey Pearl View Condominium in Tanjung Bungah this morning destroyed two million-ringgit penthouses.

However, no one was injured in the 8.15am fire, believed to have been caused by a faulty air-conditioner in one of the penthouses.

Fifty-six firemen, nine engines, a skylift and a Morita lift took about 50 minutes to douse the blaze.

Penang Island fire chief Superintendent Nazri Zakaria said the owner of the unit with the faulty air-conditioner and her driver tried in vain to put out the fire with buckets of water.

Electrical fires should never be doused with water, which conducts electricity. "The electrical appliance exploded and burst into flames which spread fast to other parts of her unit and to her neighbours', who were not in at the time," Nazri said.

Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon, who is also Tanjung Bungah state assemblyman, took time off from the State Assembly sitting to visit the scene.

He said while nobody was injured, there was a need to find new ways to deal with fires in high-rise buildings.

"There was no casualty here but firemen faced difficulties getting into the penthouses," he told reporters.

The blazing units were inaccessible to the skylift, and firemen had to
deploy the Morita lift, which can go higher.

Low water pressure and strong winds also hampered efforts by the firefighters and 20 volunteers.

Koh said the authorities should not leave fire prevention and fighting
to chance as George Town and several towns have many high-rise buildings.

"Helicopters can also be used in fighting fires in these buildings in future," he said.

He also announced the setting up of a special committee to study the matter. It will comprise state executive councillors Teng Hock Nan (State Local Government, Traffic Management, Information and Community Relations), Koay Kar Huah (State Public Works, Utilities and Transportation) and Syed Amerruddin Syed Ahmad (State Housing, Culture, Arts and Heritage).