KUALA LUMPUR, March 29 — Seven shops including a hardware store in Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah, near Chow Kit here, were destroyed in a fire this afternoon.

However, no casualties were reported.

According to the Kuala Lumpur Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM), the department received an emergency call at 1.36pm before six engines and 35 firefighters from the Sentul, Hang Tuah and Titiwangsa Fire and Rescue Stations were deployed to the scene.

“The fire involved a hardware store and six eateries behind it,” JBPM said in a statement.

It added that the fire was brought under control by 2.50pm, but the cause and amount of damage are still under investigation.

Meanwhile, Ramzana Ali, 39, who is an employee at the hardware shop, was a witness to the blaze as he was napping at the back of the building next to the burnt store.

“A commotion woke me up and when I realised what was happening, I immediately contacted my employer before saving myself,” he said. — Bernama