KUALA LUMPUR, March 17 — A wiring fault is believed to have caused the fire at the National Institute of Forensic Medicine (IPFN) housed in Hospital Kuala Lumpur today.

Kuala Lumpur Fire and Rescue Department head Khirudin Dhrahman said investigators determined this from a preliminary examination of the site.

"We suspect it may be from a short circuit, from the condition of the fire, and based on our own experience and observations.

"Our forensic department is checking. God willing, we will get the details soonest.

"Because inside, there were no other items. Just a light in the store room, and most of the items there were surgical gloves, cotton and plastic, which are easily flammable,” he told reporters when met outside the building.

No injuries or deaths have been reported.

Khirudin said a lab technician and general worker had been trapped during the blaze, which is believed to have started in the institute’s store, but were rescued by firemen.

He said the store was razed and about a third of the institute damaged.

He said 19 cadavers from the department also had to be isolated, as power had to be shut down, owing to the "second stage” blaze that usually characterised by heavy smoke.

Khirudin added four fire engines arrived at the scene at 12.36pm, after a distress call was made at 12.30pm. The fire was put out by 1.30pm.

Thirty-one firemen, eight officers and four fire engines were deployed.

Patients were also swiftly moved to other wards by the hospital’s staff, he said when praising HKL’s engineering team for immediately switching off oxygen supplies in the hospital, which reduced the dangers of the fire.