KUALA LUMPUR, March 9 — The public has been advised not to take shelter in bathrooms or toilets during a fire following several cases where victims were found dead in such spaces during fires at strata residential buildings in Kuala Lumpur.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories) Hannah Yeoh said these spaces have limited ventilation and can quickly fill with smoke, causing oxygen levels to drop rapidly, which may lead victims to lose consciousness within minutes.
“This trend is worrying, as fire cases are increasing, and most victims are found in toilets or bathrooms. They do not realise that the water temperature will rise. They think it is a safe escape route,” she said at a press conference on strengthening fire safety awareness in high-density strata buildings in Kuala Lumpur, today.
At the same time, Hannah said victims inside bathrooms are also difficult for rescue personnel to detect, because firefighters usually check main areas such as the living room and bedrooms first.
Therefore, residents are urged to identify emergency exit routes in their respective buildings and immediately evacuate their residential units if a fire occurs.
If they are unable to exit the building, she advised residents to stay in a room with windows facing outside the building, and to seal the gap under the door with a wet cloth or towel, to prevent smoke from entering.
In addition, she said that residents can signal for help by waving a cloth or a brightly coloured object at the window, to help rescue teams locate them more easily.
Meanwhile, Kuala Lumpur Fire and Rescue Department director Hassan ‘As’ari Omar said statistics show several cases where fire victims were found dead in bathrooms around the capital, involving three people in 2024 and five people in 2025.
“In 2024, the first case was in front of Scott Garden, where two men died. Another case occurred at Jalan Tepian Loke Yew, where a child died. All of them were found in bathrooms.
“For 2025, there was also a case at Perumahan Awam Sri Terengganu, where a woman died. Another case occurred at Block B, Jalan Hang Tuah Flat, involving a man. In addition, at Residensi Enesta, a man died, while the latest case occurred at Sentul Utama Flat, Jalan Dato Senu, involving a man and a woman,” he said.
Commenting on the causes of fires in strata buildings, he said that the majority of cases were due to electrical problems, as well as human negligence, including the use of electrical appliances without safety certification and the purchase of cheap electrical items online.
He added that there were also fire incidents caused by the use of equipment for illegal activities, as well as charging mobile phones while sleeping, which can pose the risk of batteries overheating.
In this regard, the public has been reminded to be more cautious when using electrical appliances and to ensure that only products with safety certification are used, to prevent fire incidents.
Earlier, Hannah said the number of fire incidents in strata buildings in Kuala Lumpur has shown an increase over the past few years, with 68 cases recorded in 2023, 75 cases in 2024 and 86 cases in 2025.
She said that the trend requires cooperation from all parties, including joint management bodies, to ensure that fire safety standards remain at the highest level.
She also channelled a grant of RM50,000 to the Kuala Lumpur Fire and Rescue Department, to help purchase additional equipment to further strengthen their operational readiness. — Bernama
