24-05-2025
3,000 quails killed in Balik Pulau fire, farmer suffers over RM30,000 in losses
BALIK PULAU: A quail farmer suffered losses of over RM30,000 after a fire destroyed his livestock pen and also affected two houses in Kampung Genting last night.
The blaze claimed the lives of around 3,000 quails, wiping out a family business that had been operating for over 30 years.
The victim, Soo Ewe Sheng, 39, said he rushed to the scene only to find the flames raging uncontrollably, leaving nothing to salvage.
"In addition to the coop and the quails, we also lost a lorry and a feed processing machine," he said.
Soo added that the business, which he ran with his father, only required them to visit the site to manage the daily operations.
"I'm still unsure of the full extent of the losses. We are waiting for things to settle down," he said when contacted.
Meanwhile, Seri Balik Pulau Fire and Rescue Station Chief Mohd Faiz Helmi said they received an emergency call at 9.51pm.
Firefighters from Balik Pulau, Jalan Perak, and nearby volunteer fire brigades assisted in extinguishing the blaze.
"The fire involved two houses, a quail coop, and a one-tonne lorry. It took firefighters about 35 minutes to bring the flames under control and prevent them from spreading further," he said.
No injuries were reported. It was understood that the affected houses were rented out to workers, all of whom managed to escape before the fire spread.
The cause of the fire and the total losses are still under investigation.
