Fire Dept: Bachok school fire preliminarily classified as accident

ALOR SETAR, April 15 — The Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) has preliminary classified a fire incident that destroyed three blocks at Sekolah Menengah Ugama (A) Darul Ulum Al-Muhammadiah in Bachok, Kelantan, last Sunday as being caused by an accident.

JBPM deputy director-general (Operations) Datuk Ahmad Izram Osman said detailed investigations were still ongoing, including analysis of samples sent to a laboratory in Terengganu to determine the exact cause of the incident.

“In conducting further investigations, as it involves a government building, we need to examine all aspects. For now, we have concluded that it was an accident pending the laboratory analysis results,” he told reporters after attending the JBPM Kedah 2025 Excellent Service Award ceremony here today.

He said the school hostel building was not categorised under the Fire Certificate (FC) requirement, thus periodic monitoring by JBPM was not mandatory as compared to premises with such certification.

In this regard, he stressed the importance of awareness and responsibility among premises management in reducing fire risks, particularly in older buildings.

Ahmad Izram said wardens or supervisors must be more vigilant on safety aspects, including the condition of electrical wiring and use of equipment, especially involving gadget charging that could lead to overloading.

According to him, most fire incidents are typically caused by electrical faults or appliances rather than other factors such as gas usage, which is not present in the hostel.

Earlier reports stated that three blocks of the school were affected in the incident last Sunday, with one of them almost completely destroyed. — Bernama