PETALING JAYA, 13 Feb 2018:
The Employees Provident Fund (EPF) building along Jalan Gasing here, which caught fire at around noon today, was built in 1960.
Based on news records, the building had served as the EPF headquarters for 35 years, from 1960 to 1995.
The building is located near the Federal Highway and serves as a landmark for Klang Valley residents to determine the boundary between Selangor and Kuala Lumpur.
It underwent renovation in 2004 to house an Information Technology Department and the EPF Selangor office.
Renovation was also done to enhance the safety features as well improve the electrical and mechanical facilities, and the building’s new design embraced the architecture and identity of other EPF buildings in the country.
It currently serves as a one-stop centre for savings withdrawal, registration of new members and employers, accepting contribution payments as well as providing latest account statements.
The fire today destroyed about 40% of the six-storey building. The fire is believed to have been caused by sparks during maintenance work on one of the floors. on the first floor on the outside of the building.
Fire and Rescue Department deputy director-general (operations) Datuk Soiman Jahid said inflammable polyfoam was used as cladding for the building structure.
“Based on preliminary checks and investigations, the cladding for the building used inflammable materials and it was not approved by any party.
“The fire began from the first floor (outside) where maintenance work was being carried out. The wind and hot weather also contributed to the spread of the fire.”
He said the fire involved the exterior walls of the building and part of the interior on the sixth floor.
Soiman said 527 employees who were in the building were evacuated and placed in an open area nearby.
“The fire station received a distress call at 11.52 am and firemen arrived seven minutes later. Operation to douse the flame took about 30 minutes.”
He said it was the first fire incident involving inflammable cladding in the country. He said any building which used inflammable materials and did not meet stipulated specifications was in breach of the Uniform Building By Law 1984.
“Indirectly, the (EPF) building has violated the law.” As such, Soiman said building owners who had used inflammable materials as cladding for the premises to replace it.
“Normally, inflammable materials and those that did not follow stipulated standard are cheaper and hazardous.
“Therefore, the Fire and Rescue Department will conduct inspection on other buildings and the fire certificate will not be issued until they have replaced the cladding with new ones.”
Petaling Jaya deputy police chief Supt Ku Mashariman Ku Mahmood confirmed no foul play in the incident.
The EPF has given its assurance there has been no compromise to data integrity or members’ savings in any manner due to the fire at its building today.
It said in a statement that its Petaling Jaya office and branch were temporarily closed until further notice due to the fire.
The statement also said that members and employers who wished to perform any transactions with EPF were advised to contact or visit the nearest EPF branch.
“Alternatively, members may call the EPF Contact Management Centre at 03-89226000 or forward their enquiries via the myEPF website at http://enquiry.kwsp.gov.my.
– Bernama