KOTA BARU, Sept 20 — Police investigation into the fire at the Darul Quran Ittifaqiyah Religious Residential Centre which claimed the lives of 23 students and teachers here last Thursday is almost completed, said Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Mohamad Fuzi Harun.

However, he said police were now awaiting several parties such as Tenaga Nasional Berhad, Fire and Rescue Department and the Chemistry Department to complete their reports.

"The investigation paper will be handed over to the Attorney General’s Chambers once all the reports are completed,” he told reporters after officiating the Royal Malaysia Police Innovation Day 2017 at the Universiti Malaysia Kelantan city campus in Pengkalan Chepa here today.

On the other hand, Mohamad Fuzi said the investigation by a special task force which was set up to probe the information leak on the fire at the tahfiz centre, was running smoothly.

Police viewed the matter seriously after the facts of the case and photographs of the suspects believed to be involved in the fire tragedy made its rounds on social media and WhatsApp mobile application, he said.

In the 5.15am incident, 21 students and two teachers perished when the top floor of the three-storey building was engulfed in flames.

Subsequently, seven teenagers, aged between 11 and 18, were being remanded for seven days until Friday to facilitate investigations. Six of them were tested positive for drugs.

Earlier at the event, a team from the Kedah police contingent emerged as the winner of innovation competition for inventing a monitoring system and methods to curb drug abuse. — Bernama