Factory in Malaysia with working Myanmars destroyed in blaze

YANGON, Oct. 28 - A furniture factory at Muar in Johor island, Malaysia, employing many Myanmar workers was destroyed by fire early Friday morning, the star online newspaper said Friday.

The "Watar" furniture factory, employing about 100 foreign workers from Myanmar, Vietnam, Nepal and Bangladesh, was burnt down at 1am Friday (Oct. 28, 2005) totally destroying the factory as well as the nearby workers' hostel, Muar Fire and Rescue Department chief Shukor Abdullah told the paper.

He told the paper, the department rushed three fire engines with 16 personnel to the scene after receiving an emergency call.

“When the firemen arrived, the factory was already engulfed in flames. Although it was a huge fire and there were explosions, the firemen managed to bring it under control within 10 minutes,” Abdullah was quoted by the star online.

It paper did not report the exact number of Myanmar workers working at the factory.

Shukor said the department is investigating the cause of the fire, the paper added.

Between 40,000 to 50,000 Myanmar workers are believed to be working in Malaysia, according to Myanmar community sources in Malaysia.

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