KUANTAN, March 10 — A fire that claimed the lives of five family members at a house in Kampung Pamah Kulat, Raub on Feb 26 was caused by a short circuit, Pahang Local Government, Housing, Environment and Green Technology Committee chairman Datuk Mohammad Fakhruddin Mohd Ariff said.

He said investigations by the Pahang Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) found that the short circuit was triggered by an irregular wiring system.

“Based on analysis conducted by JBPM Pahang on structural fire cases this year, 15 out of 35 cases were caused by electrical factors, accounting for about 43 per cent,” he told reporters after launching a Fire Safety Campaign in conjunction with the Siap Siaga Raya 2026 programme at Padang MBK 1 here yesterday.

According to him, another seven cases or 20 per cent of the overall number was caused by gas equipment and six cases caused by smouldering embers (about 17 per cent), while the remaining cases are still under investigation.

Meanwhile, he said that on the orders of the Sultan of Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah, the state government would build a Rumah Rakyat Pahang (RRP) unit for the surviving family members of the Kampung Pamah Kulat incident, which is expected to be completed this year.

Mohammad Fakhruddin also said the state government plans to ensure that every affordable home in Pahang is equipped with fire extinguishers to enhance the safety of residents, particularly for fires involving electricity or gas which cannot be extinguished with water.

At the event, the Bebar state assemblyman also witnessed the handover of two Fire Rescue Tender (FRT) engines by Alliance Steel to the Pahang JBPM, which he said was a corporate social responsibility initiative that demonstrates the company’s commitment to supporting authorities in strengthening public safety.

As an additional measure to improve emergency response efficiency during the upcoming Hari Raya Aidilfitri festive season, he said JBPM fire engines and personnel will be stationed at three strategic locations, namely the Temerloh, Gambang and Genting Sempah Rest and Service Areas (R&R), from March 19 to 24.

“This step is taken to ensure the rescue team’s response time can be improved should any emergency occur during the period of people travelling back to their hometowns,” he said. — Bernama