Wong looks on as investigators gather evidence at the scene of the fire at Batu Lintang food centre. — Photo by Winter Chai
KUCHING: The popular food centre at Batu Lintang which was razed by fire Wednesday afternoon should be rebuilt as soon as possible so that affected stall holders can resume their business.
Their income would be adversely affected if the rebuilding work was delayed, said Minister of Local Government and Community Development Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh when met while touring the site yesterday.
Wong, who is also Second Finance Minister, said whoever the contractor was later, would have to work fast to get the food centre rebuilt.
He said he was made to understand that the rebuilding work could be completed within a month, and after the relevant authorities had received the insurance report and findings of the Fire and Rescue Service Department.
The food centre experienced two minor fires before Wednesday’s fire which was the most serious.
The fire at the decades old wooden structure started at one of three drink stalls before it engulfed the entire structure, including two seafood stalls, within minutes on Wednesday.
No injuries were reported as there were not many customers at the time with the stalls starting to re-open following the Chinese New Year break.
The owner of the drinks stall where the fire first broke out, a sixty-something man surnamed Yap, said he was trying to get his stove started to boil water but couldn’t despite several attempts.
Thinking he had run out of gas, he stepped outside to make a call to order a fresh cylinder,
and returned a few minutes later to see his stall in flames.
The flames spread so fast and the hawkers could not do anything except to flee and call for help. Firemen from the nearby Batu Lintang Fire Station arrived at the scene within minutes of receiving a distress call at 5.51pm and immediately set out to douse the flames.