KUALA LUMPUR – A major fire broke out at a ship repair yard in Bukit Malut late Monday night, destroying three passenger ferries that were undergoing routine maintenance.
The Kedah Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) responded to the emergency call at approximately 9:35 PM. Despite the intensity of the flames, no casualties or injuries were reported in the incident.
Emergency Response
A total of 23 firefighters and four fire engines from the Persiaran Putra and Langkawi Fire Stations were dispatched to the scene. Upon arrival, emergency responders found three ferries docked in close proximity engulfed in flames.
According to Langkawi Zone 4 Chief, Mohd Zamri Abd Ghani, the firefighting operation was challenging as two of the vessels began to drift about 50 meters away from the dock while still ablaze.
“Two of the ferries sustained approximately 80 percent damage, while a third vessel suffered minor damage of about five percent. We managed to prevent the fire from spreading to two other ferries nearby, one of which was successfully towed to a floating buoy for safety,” Mohd Zamri said in a statement.
Investigation Underway
Firefighters utilized high-pressure water jets supplied by fire trucks to combat the blaze. One of the burning ferries was eventually towed back to the shore with the assistance of local fishing boats, while another was monitored until the flames extinguished naturally.
The situation was brought under full control by 11:07 PM, and the operation officially concluded at 2:10 AM the following morning.
Authorities are currently investigating the cause of the fire and assessing the total financial loss incurred by the shipyard and vessel owners. (Kayla Shabirah)
