Incident Report

Subject:                   Malaysia, Johor Baru, Lubricant Factory Razed

Date of Email report:   Fri 24/08/2012

Report Detail:

Challenging task: Fire-fighters trying to extinguish the flames at the factory in Taman Kota Putri, Johor Baru, while Voon (inset) looks on.

Thick black smoke could be seen from 10km away and explosions were heard as fire ravaged a car lubricant factory in Taman Kota Putri here. No one was hurt in the afternoon inferno but firemen were still putting out the flames at 8pm yesterday. “It will take the firefighters three to four hours to put out the flames,” Johor Fire and Rescue Department assistant director of operations Hamid Suari told reporters at the scene.

Six fire engines with 38 fighters had rushed to the scene on receiving an emergency call at around 4.16pm. “By the time we arrived at about 4.30pm, the flames were already quite huge,” said Hamid. Crowds of people gathered to watch as multiple fireballs erupted and explosions went off inside the building. Firemen used water and foam to fight the raging flames. “It was challenging for us to put out the fire as the factory stored hundreds of large steel containers containing lubricant,” said Hamid. Officers were still investigating the cause of the fire and value of the losses.

Factory owner Voon Lin Yau, 62, who was on the upper floor of the factory when the fire started, said she heard her workers screaming from the lower floor and quickly rushed down. “I grabbed a fire extinguisher to try and douse the flames but the fire was just too big,” she said, adding that she quickly directed the workers to evacuate the building. “I did not even have time to put on my shoes but I am glad no one was hurt,” she said, staring at the huge flames engulfing her factory.

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