JOHOR BARU: Polling day for the 16th Johor state election took a dramatic turn this morning when thick, dark smoke billowed from a construction materials store that caught fire in Stulang Laut, near R&F Mall in the city centre.
The Johor Fire and Rescue Department's operations centre said it received an emergency call about the incident at 9.39am on Saturday (July 11), and dispatched teams from the Larkin and Tebrau fire stations to the scene.
Firefighters arrived at 9.47am to find the blaze fully engulfing a 25-by-30-foot storage shed packed with construction materials.
"The fire gutted about 85%of the structure. Crews immediately began extinguishing efforts using two hose lines and managed to bring the flames under control. Firefighting operations are still ongoing," the department said in a statement on Saturday.
Meanwhile, Larkin fire station officer PBK I Badrul Abdul Rahman told Bernama at the scene that the thick smoke was caused by diesel stored inside the facility.
He said the storage facility belongs to a construction company and is used to store equipment, materials, and other facilities for ongoing construction work in the area.
No casualties or injuries were reported, he added, as the fire was contained to the storage building itself by the time firefighters arrived.
A total of 22 personnel were deployed for the operation, supported by three Fire Rescue Tender engines and one Emergency Medical Rescue Services unit.
The incident did not disrupt the voting process at any nearby polling centres, and the cause of the fire is still under investigation. – Bernama
