Investigations into the fire at the Darul Quran Ittifaqiyah Religious Residential School on Jalan Keramat Hujung was not caused by a short circuit, said Kuala Lumpur Fire and Rescue Department director Khirudin Drahman.

Khirudin said the forensic findings and the Energy Commission confirmed that the electrical circuit in the school building’s main switch was in good condition.

“We found that the fire had spread in a strange and unusual way, quickly and in a big way. Usually, if the cause is a short circuit, the main fuse box would ‘kick’ and it would take at least 30 minutes for the fire to spread.

“Based on information from the victims who were saved (witnesses), the fire also started from outside the door of the hostel, trapping them in. In addition, there were two gas canisters there, which could have contributed to a bigger cause of the fire and it spread fast,” he told reporters at the scene.

Khirudin said the department believed there were other elements outside the building which caused the fire and a thorough investigation was going on.

- Bernama