Hampered by faulty fire hydrant

What say you on the issue below?

Firemen from Penang Fire and Rescue Department struggling to put out the fire that razed a row of seven buildings in Kampung Pisang, Air Itam, on Thursday.

GEORGE TOWN: A fire hydrant with its two arms stolen a few months ago was one of the reasons why firemen were slow in their bid to prevent a fire from destroying a row of seven buildings at Kampung Pisang here on Thursday night.

This caused chaos among residents at the scene, with many agitated over the discovery of the missing arms of the hydrant and the firemen's inability to prevent the blaze from spreading to other houses.

A fireman said they had to draw water from their own water tanks.

The fire destroyed seven double-storey buildings, including two residential houses.

No one was injured but a rabbit kept as a pet by a volunteer fireman was killed. The cause of the fire is still being investigated.

State Fire and Rescue Department operations officer Muhd Izwan Arief Mat Nor said the department received a call at 11.01pm and rushed to the scene within five minutes.

More than 60 firemen and voluntary fire fighters in 10 fire engines were involved in the operation.

"We managed to control the fire at 11.35pm before it was completely put out an hour later," Izwan said.

Kampung Pisang fire fighting volunteer squad member Tan Hoe Hup, 23, whose house was also among those destroyed, said he was having dinner with his girlfriend nearby in Air Itam when his fellow member called to inform him of the fire.

"I immediately rushed home on my motorcycle, but by then my house was engulfed in flames."

Tan said he also lost a rabbit, which he had kept for almost six years, and a motorcycle.