Recent fires expose glaring oversights

After witnessing the destruction a single fire can cause, Malaysia is being forced to rethink its approach to fire safety. In 2025 alone, several high-profile incidents exposed serious vulnerabilities in infrastructure, building management and enforcement, leaving victims struggling to rebuild their lives months later.

One of the most devastating incidents occurred on the second day of Aidilfitri, when a massive blaze erupted in Putra Heights. Known as the Petronas gas pipeline fire, the April 1 tragedy saw flames soar more than 30m into the air, reaching temperatures of up to 1,000°C.

A total of 81 houses were completely destroyed, another 81 were partially damaged while 57 were affected but not burnt.

Firefighters battled the inferno for nearly eight hours before it was fully extinguished, pushing emergency response teams to their limits and leaving residents of Taman Putra Harmoni, Kampung Tengah, Kampung Kenangan and Kampung Sungai Baru homeless.

While the Putra Heights fire showed the risks associated with major infrastructure failures, a more recent incident in Mont Kiara highlighted persistent concerns over high-rise safety and building management. The fire at Tiffani Kiara claimed one life on the 26th floor, raising questions about evacuation procedures and emergency preparedness.

Although the cause of the blaze has yet to be determined, Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) has since launched an investigation into the building management’s compliance with basic fire safety requirements.

Beyond Malaysia’s borders, a far deadlier tragedy in Hong Kong offered a stark warning of how regulatory lapses can turn fires into mass-casualty events. In November, a fire at Wang Fuk Court in the Tai Po district claimed 160 lives, injured 79 others and left six people missing as of Dec 9.

Investigations found that illegal and highly flammable bamboo scaffolding had accelerated the fire’s spread between buildings, transforming what could have been a contained incident into one of the city’s worst residential fires in decades.

The case has since reignited debate over enforcement failures and the dangers of unauthorised building materials. These issues resonate strongly in dense urban centres across the region, including Malaysia.

Figures and initiatives

Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming recently revealed the alarming financial toll of fires at homes. Losses from fires nationwide between January and September this year exceeded RM1.57bil, despite ongoing prevention efforts by the hardworking Fire and Rescue Department.

The situation calls for more thorough preventive measures from all parties to curb fires from occurring in the first place.

As part of efforts to strengthen firefighting capabilities, Nga said the department is replacing 40 fire rescue tenders (FRTs) that are over 20 years old with 30 new units under a CLW Automobile Malaysia corporate social responsibility programme worth RM45mil. Two of the new fire engines have been delivered so far.

This high-impact initiative can minimise damage to fire engines, reduce the cost of repairing ageing assets and guarantee engine readiness to ensure more effective service delivery to the public.

Lack of preventive maintenance

The recurring theme across these incidents is not a lack of firefighting effort but weaknesses in prevention, enforcement and readiness long before flames break out.

From ageing infrastructure and high-density developments to questionable building materials and lax compliance, fire safety failures often occur way ahead of the emergency response stage.

Rapid urbanisation is also placing increasing pressure on infrastructure systems that were not designed to cope with today’s density or usage patterns.

The Putra Heights gas pipeline fire exposed the risks associated with critical utilities running close to residential neighbourhoods, raising concerns over maintenance, monitoring and buffer zones.

While such infrastructure is governed by strict standards, incidents of this scale suggest that risk assessments and emergency planning may not always be on par with surrounding development.

High-rise residential fires such as the one at Tiffani Kiara point to a different but equally troubling issue and that is building management and compliance.

Fire doors, alarm systems, evacuation routes and routine inspections are basic safety requirements, yet enforcement often depends heavily on management bodies and joint management committees.

In many cases, compliance is treated as a regulatory box-ticking exercise rather than an ongoing responsibility, only attracting scrutiny after lives are lost.

Unreachable for firefighters

For a long time, fire safety professionals have said that evacuation challenges increase significantly the higher a building is built.

Delays caused by blocked stairwells, malfunctioning alarms or unclear evacuation protocols can quickly turn survivable situations into fatal ones.

In dense urban centres like Kuala Lumpur, where vertical living continues to grow, the issue is much more dangerous.

The Tai Po tragedy in Hong Kong further illustrates how unauthorised building practices can dramatically worsen fire outcomes. The use of flammable bamboo scaffolding accelerated the spread of the blaze, overwhelming escape routes and emergency services.

While Malaysia has its own regulatory framework governing construction materials and renovation works, enforcement remains inconsistent particularly in older buildings. Informal modifications are sometimes carried out without approval as well, increasing risks further.

These cases underline a broader challenge faced by authorities.

Regulations alone are insufficient without consistent monitoring, meaningful penalties and public awareness.

Fire safety is often prioritised only after disasters strike, when attention shifts briefly before fading once again.

Experts argue that consistent education for residents, stricter audits for building managers and clearer accountability are needed to close this gap.

At the same time, responsibility does not lie solely with regulators. Developers, building owners and management corporations play a major role in making sure that fire safety systems are properly installed, maintained and tested throughout a building’s lifespan.

Cost-cutting measures, delayed maintenance and poor oversight can significantly increase risks, particularly in older developments.

As Malaysia continues to push for urban growth and higher-density living, recent fires serve as a sobering reminder that safety must always remain at the forefront during planning, construction and management decisions.

Firefighting assets need to be improved, but preventing fires and limiting their impact when they do occur ultimately requires a more integrated approach involving policymakers, industry players and the public.