Forest fires can either be a natural occurrence due to intense weather, or they can be caused by human activities. Either way, these disasters can be terrifying to witness, let alone experience them. One incident that happened yesterday (Wednesday, 29th October) has since gone viral on social media, and from the images and videos circulating, it looked as if it came straight out of a suspenseful and scary scene of a film.
According to reports, a fire broke out in a forest area within Taman Perdana Heights, located near the Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Puncak Perdana Campus. The incident is believed to have occurred at around 4:15pm.
A team of firemen from the Bukit Jelutong Fire and Rescue Station (BBP) was immediately dispatched to the scene after receiving the emergency call. Selangor Fire and Rescue Department assistant director Ahmad Mukhlis told reporters that the situation was brought under control at around 6:05pm, although some parts of the area were still burning and required further extinguishing.
“With a force of 18 officers and personnel, 80% of the fire zone was extinguished by 6:05pm. The latest findings at 6:30am showed that the affected area measured approximately 2.4 hectares,” he said. He added that, thankfully, the fire did not reach the UiTM campus, although it was very close. However, the smoke and flames still caught the attention of many people travelling home at the time.
Those who were driving along the road near the forest captured the terrifying scene, sharing photos and videos online. Some pointed out that it was rare for a forest fire to occur in the area, while others expressed hope that no one had been injured and voiced concern for the wildlife. Residence in Bukit Jelutong also shared how they could smell the smoke and felt the heat coming from the forest fire.
At the time of writing, there has been no update on what caused the fire. Check out the videos that have been going viral:
@501awani Kebakaran dilaporkan berlaku di kawasan belukar berhampiran Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Cawangan Selangor Kampus Puncak Perdana hari ini (Rabu). Menerusi visual dikongsikan di media sosial, kebakaran dilihat merebak dengan asap tebal menyelubungi langit. Berdasarkan visual dikongsikan, beberapa jentera bomba juga dilihat sedang memadam kebakaran. Bagaimanapun setakat ini, tiada kenyataan rasmi dikeluarkan pihak berkuasa. AWANInews
@majoritiofficial Asap tebal selubungi Puncak Perdana, bomba bertungkus-lumus kawal api Klik link ARTIKEL untuk berita penuh #Majoriti #UiTM #PuncakPerdana #ShahAlam #KebakaranHutan
@am.azharmokhtar Kebakaran berdekatan UITM Puncak Alam. Semoga semuanya selamat. #fyp
Sources: The Star, TheSunDaily, Sinar Harian
