LANGKAWI – The fire which raged through The Andaman Resort here has destroyed its lobby and the right facade of the sprawling landmark nested inside a forest reserve on the northern part of the island.
As of 9pm tonight, the embers continued to light the night as an entire squadron of fire fighters from Langkawi, including volunteers from faraway Pantai Cenang and Pantai Tengah, were battling around non-stop to bring the blaze under control.
This is believed to be the biggest fire Langkawi has experienced on the famous holiday island which was awarded a duty-free status by then prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamed in 1987.
The situation was made worse because the entire resort was built of flammable materials such as timber, and the fire was given new zeal by strong winds and the surrounding thick forest.
A Langkawi fire and rescue department spokesperson said that the firemen had to contain the fire within the property and to ensure it did not spread to the nearby forest and morph into a forest fire instead.
The fire was nearly extinguished after several hours of firefighting.
However, at about 1am today, the flames reignited just after the initial batch of firemen had left the scene.
It is still burning in isolated areas of the resort, due to strong winds and flammable materials, such as timber and dry leaves.
Veteran travel trade member and the president of the Langkawi branch of the Malaysian Nature Society, Eric R. Sinnaya said he was informed that much of the resort was razed.
“Fortunately, the 150-million-year-old forest reserve was spared. The wild animals fled or flew away,” said Sinnaya.
He said investigators will be deployed to inspect the damage tomorrow
Kedah Fire and Rescue Department assistant director Mohamadul Ehsan Mohd Zain told the media that his team received a call on the blaze shortly after it broke out yesterday, and again at 1.13am today.
“The building, measuring 91m by 274m has almost been burnt completely,” he said.
He said firefighting operations are underway, with the personnel facing water supply and access issues.
The 186-suite resort, which is more than 30 years old, is regarded as one of the most reputable hospitality properties in Malaysia.
Property owner Landmarks Bhd appointed Sheraton Overseas Management Corp, an affiliate of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc (Starwood Hotels & Resorts), as the resort’s operator in 2010. It is unclear if it continues to manage the property.
The owner could not be reached for comment, but it is learnt that staff and guests were safely evacuated when the fire alarm went off yesterday evening. – The Vibes, January 13, 2021
