Malaysia

Penang mulls audit on World Heritage site buildings after alarming blazes

Exco Jagdeep Singh Deo says old wiring in structures risk to residents, could be cause of fires

Updated 5 years ago · Published on 09 Oct 2021 3:46PM

Penang mulls audit on World Heritage site buildings after alarming blazes
A fire that ripped through a building on Jalan Kerian yesterday claimed the life of a disabled woman, prompting discussions over the safety of buildings in the George Town Unesco World Heritage Site. – The Vibes file pic, October 9, 2021

BUKIT MERTAJAM – The state is mulling an audit on buildings in the Unesco World Heritage site in George Town following several fires. 

State housing, local government, and town and country planning exco Jagdeep Singh Deo said the old electrical wiring in those buildings poses a risk to residents seeing as it could have been the cause of some of the fires.

He said the state will discuss the matter with the Fire and Rescue Department as well.

“We can consider conducting an audit on the heritage buildings in the state. We will discuss this with the department first, especially on this particular case,” he said, referring to yesterday’s fire on Jalan Kerian that claimed the life of a disabled woman.

Believed to be trapped on the second floor, the victim died after a double-storey shophouse on Jalan Kerian in George Town caught fire yesterday.

The Fire and Rescue Department is conducting an investigation to establish the cause of the fire.

Earlier, Jagdeep launched the Digital@Seberang Perai initiative at the Seberang Prai City Council (MBSP) headquarters at Bandar Perda here today.

MBSP mayor Rozali Mohamud said the city council has 100 services that can be conducted online and another 25 have been initiated under the Smart City programme.

“The ratepayers do not have to go to the counters as their applications and other services are available online.

“We are also conducting awareness and education programmes for ratepayers in a bid to manage the spread of Covid-19.” – The Vibes, October 9, 2021

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