Stop-work order issued after shophouses collapse - Star

Oct 4, 2009

IPOH: A temporary stop-work order has been issued against the owner of the two-storey pre-war shophouses which collapsed on Friday during demolition work, killing two men.

Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Seri Kong Cho Ha said the Ipoh City Council had also been instructed to prepare a preliminary report on the matter to be submitted to the ministry by tomorrow.

“We want to find out whether precautionary measures were taken during the demolition work,” he told reporters here yesterday after visiting the site.

He added that the Public Works Department, police, Fire and Rescue Department and the Occupational Safety and Health Department (DOSH) would also be asked to prepare reports.

The statements of eyewitnesses and workers at the site would also be taken to assist in investigations.

“Action will be taken if the consultant was found to be negligent in using the wrong method to demolish the buildings,” he said.

The building in Jalan Kamaruddin Isa in Fair Park here was being demolished to make way for a row of three-storey shophouses. In the 9.30pm incident, two passengers in a Perodua Viva were killed when the building collapsed on the vehicle.

The deceased were identified as Zairi Mohd Sabri, 25, and Firdaus Mohd Norzila, 23.

The driver, Abdil Kudus Ismail, 21, was discharged after receiving outpatient treatment at the Hospital Raja Permaisuri Bainun here.