Kelantan JBPM vows full forensic report in 14 days after Kampung Gok Kapur fire

KOTA BHARU, June 15 — The absence of closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage in the Kampung Gok Kapur area here during the June 8 incident has not hindered the forensic expertise of the Kelantan Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) from identifying the actual cause of the massive fire.

Despite the residential area lacking video surveillance technology, the fire investigation team utilised scientific methods by analysing “burn patterns” at the scene to track down the point of origin.

Kelantan JBPM Director, Farhan Sufyan Borhan, said that through this physical evidence, guided by statements from “four main witnesses”, the fire department has successfully narrowed down the scope of the investigation.

He added that meticulous forensic examination at the fire’s point of origin revealed that all electrical systems and equipment connections were in good condition, thereby completely ruling out the short-circuit theory.

“For now, we have also ruled out the possibility of arson based on the evidence and information gathered so far. The preliminary investigation is now pointing toward the possibility of the fire originating from cooking activities or playing with fire in the area,” he told Bernama yesterday.

According to him, the element of human negligence is still being considered in the investigation, and focus is now fully directed toward the clues with the highest probability of being confirmed as the absolute cause.

He added that the lack of digital CCTV evidence did not slow down the investigation team’s momentum.

“A high level of commitment is being demonstrated by Kelantan JBPM to ensure justice and immediate answers are provided to the affected victims. According to the department’s Key Performance Indicators, the full forensic investigation report is guaranteed to be fully completed within 14 days from the date of the incident,” he said.

On June 8, a total of 27 houses were destroyed in a fire in Kampung Gok Kapur, while the forensic team from the Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department is still conducting investigations to identify the cause of the incident. — Bernama