KUALA LUMPUR: A food storage warehouse occupying four factory lots at Jalan Helang Bukit in Kepong Baru Tambahan was destroyed in an early morning fire today.
The fire which started at about 6.20am is believed to have started from the first factory lot before quickly spreading to the other two adjourning lots.
More than 70 fire and rescue officers and personnel from nearby fire stations were roped in to help put out the massive fire.
A fire and rescue spokesman at the scene said they managed to bring the fire under control but operations are still ongoing to douse the fire completely.
Fortunately, no casualties were reported in the incident.
City Fire and Rescue Operations Centre in a statement this afternoon said they received a distress call at 6.23am before the first team from BBP Manjalara station rushed to the scene.
Upon assessing the severity and scale of the flames, firemen from seven other stations, BBP Sri Hartamas, BBP Wangsa Maju, BBP Jinjang, BBP Sentul, BBP Jalan Hang Tuah, BBP Cheras and BBP Gombak Selatan also sent their men to assist in the operation.
A team comprising officers of various ranks and six Fire Rescue Tender (FRT), two Emergency Medical Rescue Services (EMRS), three water tankers, one Aerial Ladder Platform (ALP) and two Rapid Intervention Motorcycles (RIM) managed to bring the fire under control after almost four hours at 10.19am.
State Fire and Rescue assistant operations director M.Fatta M.Amin who was also present at the scene said they managed to salvage two out of the four lots from the fire.
"Only two lots were burnt, lot 10 which stored food products and processed plastic was about 50 per cent burnt, while lot 12, which is the logistics warehouse was 80 per cent destroyed in the incident.
"The fire affected an area of about 150 x100 square feet, overall.
"Firemen used offensive and defensive techniques with eight water jets to control the fire from spreading to the other nearby buildings," he said, adding that two other warehouses belonging to the same company was not effected thanks to the quick actions of firemen.
He added that the estimated losses and cause of the fire is still under investigation.
"The fire was completely doused at 12.43pm before the operations were called off at about 1pm."
Meanwhile, one of the warehouse workers who only wanted to be known as Abdul said he was shocked to see the warehouse on fire when he arrived for work.
"We normally have guards taking care of the place at all times but they too don't know how the fire started. Upon realising there was thick smoke coming from the factory, they immediately ran out to safety and called for help," he said.
"This is the first time that a fire this big broke out here. In the past, a few lots away there was a fire incident too but that was nothing compared to what I witnessed today. I am thankful no one was injured today," he said.