GEORGE TOWN: The Fire and Rescue Department has identified the cause of the electrical cables fire below the Penang Bridge last month.
State director Saadon Mokhtar said they had completed a report on the matter and would hand over the report to Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) today.
“We have completed investigations and have identified the cause of the fire. The full report will be handed over to TNB for further action today,” he said when met at the Jalan Perak Health Clinic here this morning.
Asked on the cause of the fire, he declined to elaborate.
“There is no foul play identified during the laboratory tests.
“As to the cause of the fire, let TNB reveal it,” he added.
Yesterday, TNB chairman Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid said repair works on nine electrical cables below the Penang Bridge, which caught fire on Feb 22, would begin today.
The repair works are expected to take 119 days (about four months) to complete.
TNB had worked closely with the Malaysian Highway Authority (MHA) and Plus Malaysia Berhad (Plus) in the appointment of the contractor for the repair works.
The Feb 22 fire, which broke out just before the evening peak hour, resulted in massive traffic jams spanning several kilometres on both sides of the bridge.
Black smoke was seen billowing from the underside of the bridge where the cables were located.
TNB had said that the fire involved 132kV cables from the Bukit Tengah to Bayan Mutiara transmission main intake.
Following the fire, Plus has assured the public that the Penang Bridge is structurally sound and safe for use.
Source: New Straits Times
