Sparks during maintenance work on the outside of the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) building in Jalan Gasing, Petaling Jaya ignited the plastic cladding of the building, causing 40 percent of the building to be burnt, said the Fire and Rescue Department.
Wind and hot weather also helped spread the fire, noted Fire and Rescue Department deputy director-general (operations) Datuk Soiman Jahid.
The fire, which was brought under control in about 30 minutes, burnt the building’s exterior walls and part of the interiors of the sixth floor.
Soiman revealed that the cladding for the building used inflammable polyfoam, which he thinks has not been approved by any party.
It was the country’s first fire incident that involved such cladding.
Buildings with cladding materials which failed to meet stipulated specifications breach the Uniform Building By-Laws 1984.
“The Fire and Rescue Department will conduct inspections on other buildings and the fire certificate will not be issued until they have replaced the cladding with new ones,” said Soiman.
Image sourced from NST
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