‘Unlicensed Miri hotels lack safety features’

Law says one of the offences committed by operators of unlicensed hotels is not having good fire escape routes.

MIRI: A surprise inspection conducted by Miri Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) and Miri City Council (MCC) on 20 unlicensed hotels here has revealed that almost all these premises do not comply with the safety requirements for buildings enforced by the government.
The firefighters and MCC enforcement officers – led by Miri Bomba Superintendent II Ahmad Nizam Sapaiee – ran the fire-risk checks from Feb 7 to 10 on hotels with 20 rooms and above that were not registered with the council.

Of the 20 premises, only one adhered to the requirements outlined under the Sarawak Building Ordinance (SBO) 1994 and Act 341 of Fire Services Act 1988, said Bomba Zone 6 chief Supt Law Poh Kiong.
“Among the offences committed by the operators of these unlicensed hotels are not having enough safety staircases; lack of the fire prevention system or if they have it, the system is in very bad condition; the non-existence of or not having good fire escape routes; and also the operators’ failure to submit their building plans for approval by our side and the council,” he disclosed, adding that the operators were given notices requiring them to comply with the SBO and the Act.
On a positive note, Law said the operators whose establishments were checked on gave full cooperation to his men.
“We received a very positive response from them, as they told us that they would not want the tragedy that occurred here last month to happen again,” he said, referring to the death of a woman during a fire that razed a building at Jalan Merbau on Jan 6.
In the incident, a 21-year-old woman was killed after she jumped off the top floor of a shophouse building to escape the raging blaze. It is reported that she went up to the upper unit after finding that the grille down at the staircase was locked.
Meanwhile, Malaysian Association Hotels Sarawak Chapter honorary secretary-general John Teo Peng Yew said the MCC must address urgently the issue of unlicensed hotels that lacked fire prevention system.
“It could tarnish the image of the tourism industry in Sarawak,” he said.

Ahmad Nizam (right) during the inspection on one of the unlicensed hotels.

Reported By: Margaret Ringgit, reporters@theborneopost.com

* Note: Newspaper cut from The Borneo Post who has the copy right for the above article.
 

Ahmad Nizam takes a closer look at the fire alarm system box. — Photos by Miri Bomba