SIBU: Housewives have been reminded not to leave their cooking unattended as this could lead to fires, particularly in the current dry weather.
Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) Sibu Zone chief Abdul Mutalib Rashid said housewives should turn off the stove, even if their cooking is halfway done, should they need to attend to urgent matters.
He stressed that proper care must be taken in the kitchen.
“Never take things for granted as leaving your cooking unattended in the kitchen is most dangerous. A small kitchen fire can spread rapidly given the prevailing hot weather.
“It is equally important to turn off the gas before retiring to bed at night,” Mutalib told The Borneo Post.
He was sharing fire safety measures following a pre-dawn fire in Kampung Nangka yesterday.
The 2am incident left 10 people homeless and cut short their Aidilfitri celebrations.
Last year, a fire gutted five closely built houses in Kampung Bahagia Jaya, Teku on the eve of Ramadan, leaving over 30 people homeless.
Mutalib suggested that portable fire extinguishers be placed at strategic locations in a house so that they could be easily accessed during emergencies.
“It would be handy if there are portable fire extinguishers in the house as they can be used to put out small fires while waiting for help to arrive,” he said.
Meanwhile, Nangka assemblyman Dr Annuar Rapaee echoed Mutalib’s view, saying that proper fire safety precautions must be taken while cooking in the kitchen.
“Stop cooking if you need to attend to urgent matters outside or take a call.”
To create a greater awareness on fire safety among kampung folk, Dr Annuar said the Nangka Consultative Committee (NCC) would work with Bomba to roll out fire safety campaigns soon.