62 equipment fires recorded this year

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SIBU: Sarawak Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) recorded 62 cases of equipment fires so far this year, according to Bomba state director Nor Hisham Mohammad.

He said last year there were 77 cases, 2012 (61); 2011 (73) and 2010 (41).

“Equipment fire comprised electrical appliances and machine in factories, shops and residential houses,” Nor Hisham explained yesterday.

He was asked to comment on Deputy Home Affairs Minister Datuk Wan Junaidi’s statement reminding the public not to gamble their safety and that of their families by purchasing cheap electrical appliances without Sirim certification.

Nor Hisham said: “Of course, it is best to comply with the standard.

“When there is Sirim certification, the quality is there as in terms of safety, all this has been taken into consideration during testing.”

He also stressed it was important to avoid current overload that could trigger off electrical fires.

He said utilising too many electrical appliances at the same time could lead to current overload, which may trigger a short circuit.

“For example, a large amount of electricity is needed to operate a microwave oven, iron, washing machines and so on concurrently.

“The public must have basic knowledge about electrical appliances to avoid current overload.”

Another issue that needed to be looked into was old wirings, with no regulation or timeframe for home owners to carry out rewiring.