Videos of the huge fire at an eatery in Bangsar became viral on social media. A few customers who were inside the restaurant at the time of the incident said that there was a massive explosion prior to the fire starting to spread.
One of the customers, Khalid, 36, claimed that as soon as he heard the explosion, he started running away from the restaurant.
"Just a few mouthfuls of rice, suddenly I heard an explosion, I didn't think twice and ran out of the restaurant," claimed Khalid, as quoted by Sinar Harian.
Nonetheless, a 45-year-old worker sustained 80% injuries on his body. Firefighters on the scene saved his life, and he was sent to the Kuala Lumpur Hospital (HKL) for additional care.
The emergency call was received at 11:44 a.m., stated Wan Mohamad Shahrir Azizi Wan Said, operation commander of the Kuala Lumpur Fire and Rescue Department.
Four fire engines, a water tanker, and an Emergency Medical Rescue Services (EMRS) unit from different stations were also involved in the operation. By 12:40 p.m., the fire had damaged 70% of the building and was contained. Investigations are still ongoing to determine the cause and scope of the damage.
According to the NST, the Fire and Rescue Department was able to stop the fire from spreading to the Tenaga Nasional Berhad-owned electrical substation nearby.
