VIDEOS of thick smoke billowing from a hillside allegedly near Setia Alam went viral on Facebook, sparking concern amongst residents in the area.
Social media users shared footage showing plumes of smoke visible from a distance, raising alarm about potential risks to nearby communities.
Was there a forest fire in Setia Alam?
Verdict:
TRUE
A forest fire covering approximately 1.2 hectares near the route from Setia Alam Toll to Meru was fully extinguished at around 7pm on Tuesday (Oct 14).
Selangor Fire and Rescue Department Operations Division Assistant Director Ahmad Mukhlis Mukhtar said his department received an emergency call regarding the incident at 4.54pm.
He said a team of seven personnel from Klang Utara Fire and Rescue Station (BBP) along with an FRT vehicle were dispatched to the scene, which was located approximately 12km from the station.
“The fire involved a forested area on a hill with an estimated area of three acres (1.2 hectares) at a height of around 300m,” he told Sinar Harian on Wednesday (Oct 15).
He explained that the fire brigade team arrived at the location at 5.07pm and carried out firefighting operations before the blaze was brought under control at 6.10pm the same day.
He said the fire was fully extinguished at 7pm and no casualties were reported, whilst the cause of the fire remains under investigation.
Earlier, the forest fire incident went viral on Facebook when several social media users shared video recordings of thick smoke visible from afar around the Setia Alam area.
The incident also triggered public concern about the risk of the fire spreading to nearby areas.
