PETALING JAYA: With the dry and hot weather expected to continue until May, concerns have emerged on the country’s preparedness against fire-related emergencies.
One chief concern is the serviceability of the tens of thousands of fire hydrants in the country.
Adding fuel to the fire are the sale of sub-standard or even outright fake fire extinguishers that are flooding the market.
While fire hydrants are usually accessible to only firemen, fire extinguishers are often the first line of defence in firefighting and saving property, life and limb.
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As such, are all the fire extinguishers being marketed by various parties worthy and fit for emergencies?
A resident of USJ, Subang Jaya, who only wanted to be known as Wendy, told The Star that she had purchased two fire extinguishers from an ecommerce website for her area’s residents association and was disappointed when both failed on her.
She said it was fortunate that she discovered the fire extinguishers she had acquired were useless in putting out flames during a firefighting demonstration by the Fire and Rescue Department.
Wendy said that during the demonstration, the dry powder in both 6kg fire extinguishers failed to put out a fire.
“I chose to buy from the ecommerce merchant since they sold many other hardware and household items.
“It was also convenient as it was delivered to my doorstep. When I complained to the seller, they were very irresponsible and refused to give me a refund. My advice is to never buy cheap fire extinguishers sold by unauthorised sellers,” she said.
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Fire and Rescue Department director-general Datuk Nor Hisham Mohammad said those purchasing fire extinguishers online should look for the Sirim Bhd verification and the manufacturer’s information.
He explained that fire extinguishers also have to abide by the MS 1539 Malaysian standard.
“The list of fire extinguisher manufacturers registered with the Fire and Rescue Department can be found on the e-Feis portal,” he said when contacted.
Nor Hisham also encouraged households to own at least one fire extinguisher.
“This will allow early action to be taken when small fires break out.
“The Fire and Rescue Department is also organising a campaign encouraging the public to own at least one fire extinguisher at home,” he added.
Nor Hisham said dry powder fire extinguishers are the most suitable to be used at home, as they can put out all classes of fire.
He added that there are several types of extinguishers, with each type being able to extinguish different classes of fire.
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In general, there are six classes of fires – A, B, C, D, E and F.
Fire extinguishers are also labelled with symbols or letters, indicating the types of fires they can put out.
A is for fires from combustible materials like wood, paper and fabric; B for fires involving flammable liquids like oil, petrol, varnish, cooking gas and paint; C for flammable gases; D for metal gas; E for fires involving electrical appliances; and F for fires involving cooking oil or fats.
To be certain of their serviceability, fire extinguishers should have a certificate of inspection issued by the Fire and Rescue Department attached to it, said Roy Chua, a fire extinguisher dealer and maintenance contractor.
“The certificate has a QR code that gives details of the owner and the servicing done on the cylinder. Regular maintenance of fire extinguishers is crucial.
“Over time, the dry powder can ‘cake up’ or harden. The fire extinguisher can also lose pressure. All these can render a fire extinguisher useless during a fire emergency,” he said.
Apart from sub-standard fire extinguishers flooding the market, Chua said there are also unscrupulous maintenance contractors who offer servicing at cheap prices but do not carry out the necessary work required.
“I have heard of some bad experiences my clients had undergone with other contractors. In some cases, these irresponsible individuals take the fire extinguishers away, supposedly for servicing, and just disappear.
“On other occasions, they return the cylinders with fake Fire and Rescue Department certificates and without carrying out any maintenance.
“The customers will never know until an emergency arises and the fire extinguishers malfunction.” said Chua, who is manager of Kuala Lumpur-based PR Fire Service.
He said every household should have a fire extinguisher as it can save one from a deadly situation.
“Always buy from reputable companies that specialise in firefighting equipment and do not be ‘penny wise, pound foolish.’ It is a small price to pay for our safety.
“It is best to own at least two fire extinguishers, one for the front and another for the back of a house, or a third one or more for upper floors,” Chua told The Star.
On Tuesday, Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming said the Fire and Rescue Department has been instructed to carry out a massive operation to inspect and ensure the 400,000 fire hydrants in the country are in working order.
He stressed that water pressure from hydrants should also be adequate to help douse fires, especially during the current dry and hot weather.
Nga said scheduled checks are being carried out by the 337 fire stations nationwide, but starting today, the efforts must be intensified to make sure that the pressure from the hydrants is adequate.
On Tuesday, the Fire and Rescue Department said a faulty hose reel system had hampered firefighting efforts in a fire that broke out at the Sri Sabah flats in Cheras, Kuala Lumpur, on Sunday.
No casualties were reported but five residential units on the 17th floor of the flats were destroyed in the fire that the department believes was caused by faulty electrical wiring.
