MELAKA: Properties worth RM1.75mil were saved in fire incidents during this year’s Hari Raya Aidilfitri operation, Op Hari Raya, between April 25 and May 9.

       State Fire and Rescue Department director Abu Bakar Katain said the fires, however, caused RM246,495 worth of property damage.

       He said a total of 148 distress calls were received during the period with 49 of them involving fires and the remaining for rescue and humanitarian services.

       From the total 49 calls on fire, 18 cases involved electric fires, open burning (16 cases), buildings (eight), vehicles (six) and others (one).

       Most of the calls for rescue and humanitarian services involved poisonous animals, totalling 41 cases, he added.

       He told this to reporters when met at the state department’s Hari Raya celebration, which was also attended by the Yang di-Pertua Negri of Melaka Tun Mohd Ali Rustam and his wife Toh Puan Asmah Abd Rahman.

       On fire incidents, Abu Bakar said most of them were caused by human attitude and negligence, especially on home safety.

       This involved acts such as forgetting to turn off the stove after cooking and excessive electricity consumption.

       He said during the two-week operation, the fire brigade also conducted 90 patrols, especially in high-risk areas and those with narrow roads, as well as on the Alor Gajah-Melaka-Jasin Expressway and the Sungai Udang-Paya Rumput-Alor Gajah Expressway. — Bernama