Major fire breaks out near Penang clan jetties

At least 10 tightly packed wooden buildings by the sea were destroyed in a major fire near Penang’s clan jetties in George Town.

The blaze began at about 1 a.m. on Aug. 5 behind a petrol station, roughly 200 metres from the ferry terminal and less than 50 metres from Chew Jetty. A recycling centre was engulfed as flames spread toward a nearby automobile service centre, where repeated explosions were heard.

Low water pressure hampered firefighting efforts. The fire also triggered a rapid response from voluntary fire squads, with at least five teams from Penang Island and the mainland sending engines to the scene.

Photographer Allen Lim used a drone to record voluntary firefighters wading through mudflats at low tide. They approached buildings from the sea while checking for people who might have been trapped. Tanjung MP Lim Hui Ying and Pengkalan Kota assemblyman Wong Yuee Harng were also at the scene.

The extent of the damage had not yet been determined.