Uptown Kota Damansara blaze: witness claims he heard ‘loud explosion’

Workshop worker says he instantly asked for help to put out fire after it engulfed three stalls

7:53 PM MYT

 

PETALING JAYA – “I heard a loud explosion and felt the tremors before the fire spread and engulfed three stalls in an instant,” a witness of yesterday’s fire at Uptown Kota Damansara here recounted today.

Motorcycle workshop worker Zulkifli Adnan, 21, whose workplace was just in front of the fire’s location, said he immediately sought the help from people nearby to put out the fire and help ensure that it would not spread to other stalls. 

Nearby traders managed to secure and use up 12 fire extinguishers to try to put out the fire but it continued to rage out of control and within half an hour, 20 stalls had been burnt and a lot of items lost. 

“We couldn’t use water to put out the fire as the pipe was too small so we used whatever equipment we could find to fight the fire,” he told Bernama today. 

Food trader, Azhari Senandung, 30, said this was the first time a fire broke out in all the four years he had been selling there.  

“My stall was slightly affected but my workers managed to save my products from being consumed by the fire,” he said, adding that his business was still affected as the area has been closed off temporarily for an investigation into the fire. 

“We cannot conduct business, and compensation will be discussed later by the management. So for now, we can only clean things to help with the clean up,” Azhari said as he mulled on doing some online business in the meantime. 

Meanwhile, Petaling Jaya police chief Mohamad Fakhrudin Abdul Hamid urged traders affected by the fire to lodge reports immediately, and as of this afternoon, only one has done so. 

Fakhrudin said that Uptown Kota Damansara would be closed to the public until the Selangor Fire and Rescue Department’s forensics team completes their investigation. 

Yesterday’s fire engulfed around 20 stalls as well as a gymnasium. – November 21, 2023

Topics

 

Popular

Gobind’s neutrality, party support rocketed him to DAP chairmanship: analysts

Observers said his non-allegiance to either pro- or anti-Lim Guan Eng factions may have helped him secure the chairmanship

Ajith Kumar launches racing team, set to compete in global events

The popular Tamil actor and professional racer expands his motorsport career with ‘Ajith Kumar Racing,’ aiming to support young talent in international racing series

Fahmi to contest PKR vice-president post

Communications Minister is fifth leader to announce bid for the post

Related