GEORGE TOWN – Dozens of homes located at the Chew Jetty in Weld Quay were saved in the nick of time after a fire broke out in two shophouses and a temple adjacent to the traditional settlement this morning.
Thanks to the swift action of volunteer firefighters and firemen from the Lebuh Pantai, Paya Terubong and Jalan Perak stations.
The volunteers were joined by firemen 15 minutes later.
State Fire and Rescue Department Zone 1 chief Mohd Tarmizi Md Jaafar said Chew Jetty was merely 6m away from the site of the fire.
“We deployed fire brigades from our stations at Lebuh Pantai, Paya Terubong and Jalan Perak after we received a call at 8.51am.
“The morning rush hour caused us some delay in reaching the site.
“Also, when we got there, there were strong winds fanning the flames.
“However, we managed to put out the fire by 9.15am,” he said.
Fortunately, there were no casualties.
The Chew Jetty is one of the oldest Chinese settlements in Malaysia and is a popular tourist attraction, especially since George Town was listed by Unesco as a World Heritage Site in 2008.
Tarmizi said the cause of the fire and the extent of the damage were being investigated. – The Vibes, March 15, 2021
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