Kota Kinabalu: Chinese New Year stocks went up in smoke when a Bataras Hypermarket branch at Jalan Rampayan, here, caught fire Thursday.
Also destroyed was a furniture outlet and a furniture manufacturing outlet, FS Trading. No injuries were reported.
Bataras General Manager Liew estimates the losses to run into millions of ringgit.
“Only a few days left to the Chinese New Year and all our goods have all gone up in flames. Not only goods, but our fixtures and fittings,” he said.
Staff from another outlet, reported seeing thick smoke surrounding the premises and believes it could have been caused by short circuit.
Chinese New Year stocks and goods were destroyed in a fire that razed the Bataras Hypermarket and other outlets at Jalan Rampayan, Kota Kinabalu, on January 12, 2023.
One tenant, Hafiz, 20, who owns a barber shop, had been renting three lots for the past two years.
“I operate a barber shop here and pay a monthly rent of RM3,000,” he said.
Another tenant claimed the incident occurred shortly after 10am.
“Although the shops had just started for the day, there were already a lot of customers. Fortunately, everyone was able to flee,” he said.
Dato Woi Fook Lai, the landowner, said the location was formerly a futsal centre.
“For the past 12 years, the land has been in my name. I made the decision to convert the futsal centre into a business outlet two years ago, investing over RM7 million in renovations.
“Bataras leased the space, which it later sublet to other business owners,” he said.
According to him, there were nine lots, which include a barbershop, a food court, and an optician’s business.
Firefighters were also at the scene to put out the fire. The flames were brought under control at 12.10pm.
