Coal fire forces family to flee

BATU ARANG: Fumes from an underground coal fire forced a family of six to evacuate their home.

S. Robert, 42, said he was shocked when he felt the temperature on the land behind his house in Bukit Nenas, Jalan Batu Arang, getting hot about two weeks ago.

“I was even more shocked when it started to emit thick, dark smoke.

“We first noticed a slight burning smell and smoke about a fortnight ago and alerted the authorities including the Selayang Municipal Council (MPS) and the Minerals and Geoscience Department,” he said.

Robert said the temperature inside his house was around 40°C due to the heat, adding that the dark smoke was also suffocating.

“I am worried for the safety and health of my young children,” he said, adding that they had to move out yesterday.

A team of six firemen from the Batu Arang Fire Station started locating and putting out the underground fire since 4pm yesterday.

Operation chief Salehtul Azmir said it was excavating the land to get to the source of fire and determine the size of underground area affected by it.

“Currently, we are excavating and spraying water to put off the fire, but this is a long process that can take up to a week.

“It is now under control at temperatures of between 45°C and 60°C. But this can get worse if it goes up to 100°C.

“It can be a much serious case,” he said, adding that the cause of the fire was most probably due to direct sunlight filtering through gashes in the land or open burning.

MPS Town Services and Environment Department is visiting the site today.

The fire – known as mine fire – is the underground smouldering of a coal deposit, probably located under Batu Arang, which is a former coal mining town.

The last time such a similar incident took place was in 1992, in Kg Melayu, when part of a school building had to be demolished during excavation works to put out the fire.