Major fire breaks out near Penang clan jetties
A major fire destroyed at least 10 wooden buildings near the Chew Jetty in Penang, Malaysia. Voluntary fire squads struggled to contain the blaze due to low water pressure, though no casualties were immediately reported.
Why it matters
The incident highlights the vulnerability of historic, densely packed wooden settlements to fire and the critical need for improved emergency infrastructure in heritage areas.
GEORGE TOWN: Fire destroyed at least 10 tightly packed wooden buildings by the sea, less than 50m from Chew Jetty.
A recycling centre was engulfed in the fire, with explosions heard repeatedly as flames spread to a nearby automobile service centre.
The blaze started at about 1am on Saturday (Aug 5) at the rear of a petrol station, about 200m from the ferry terminal.
Fire alerts caused a flurry of action among voluntary fire squads, with at least five squads from the island and mainland deploying their fire engines.
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