KUCHING, Dec 11 — A routine workday turned into a frantic scramble for safety when a fast-spreading fire gutted a sportswear and footwear retail outlet on the first floor of a shopping mall in Petra Jaya late today morning.
The blaze completely destroyed the outlet, including several thousand ringgit in cash that staff were unable to save.
Outlet manager Sofia Abdullah said the fire broke out within minutes after a staff member noticed smoke seeping from the upper section of the store around 11am.
“I was at the cashier counter, in the middle of processing a customer’s payment, when my staff alerted me. She said there was smoke coming from above.”
“When I went to check, the storeroom was already full of smoke,” she told reporters at the scene.
Sofia said her workers tried to put out the flames but were quickly overwhelmed as the fire accelerated.
“We tried using the fire extinguisher but couldn’t, it was too fast. We shouted for security and management.”
“They came to help, but the fire spread quickly because it started in the storeroom, and the shoe boxes burned easily,” she said.
All four employees in the shop at the time managed to evacuate safely.
“We ran out to save ourselves. The important thing was our personal documents. The company’s money couldn’t be saved,” she said.
She confirmed that the entire outlet, including stock in both the shop area and storeroom, was destroyed, along with RM900 from the cashier float and RM3,200 kept in the safe.
Meanwhile, Sarawak Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) director Jamri Masran said the department received an emergency call at 11.32am reporting the incident.
“Petra Jaya station responded and was soon assisted by Batu Lintang and Tabuan Jaya. Firefighters managed to bring the fire under control minutes after arrival,” he said.
He said the flames were contained to the outlet, but thick smoke spreading through the mall complicated firefighting operations.
“Because it happened inside a large building, smoke became a problem. Thankfully, all occupants and visitors were evacuated safely. No injuries were reported,” he said.
Jamri added that a power outage during the incident disrupted the mall’s fire safety systems.
“When we arrived, electricity had tripped, so all systems were down. Only the mechanical smoke extraction system was functioning, but not effectively.”
“For this type of fire, we didn’t use extinguishers, everything was 100 per cent from hydrants and our engines,” he said.
He said initial checks indicated issues with the mall’s internal fire system, though the exact cause of the blaze will be determined after a full investigation.
Firefighters later confirmed that neighbouring shops sustained smoke and water damage as post-fire overhaul work continued to ventilate the mall and eliminate any remaining risks. — The Borneo Post
