(Perak 22nd) The oldest old shopping mall on Kampar Cinema Street was ravaged by fire in the early hours of Monday, turning not only into ashes but also burning up countless precious youthful memories of Kampar residents.
According to a statement issued by Perak Fire and Rescue Department acting Assistant Director Shazlin, the department received the fire report at 3:10 a.m. on Monday and immediately dispatched personnel to the scene to begin firefighting operations, receiving reinforcement from the Tapah and Gopeng Fire Stations.
He stated that the building on fire was an old C-class single-storey building with an estimated area of about 45 feet by 110 feet. After the blaze, the overall damage was around 90%, but fortunately, there were no casualties.
He said a total of 22 firefighters participated in the firefighting operation, and the department dispatched three FRT-type fire engines.
He added that there were originally 54 small stalls inside the building, but some had been merged or converted to storage and other uses. Only about 10 stalls were still in operation.
As the old shops that caught fire were all wooden structures, although the fire was under control and successfully extinguished by 7:00 a.m., firefighters continued to remain on site, dousing water to cool the area and carefully inspecting every corner to prevent any rekindling and ensure complete safety.
This historic old shopping mall, at its peak, housed more than 40 small shops with a constant flow of people. In the 1980s, it was virtually the only place suitable for buying school uniforms, shoes, and various types of clothing—a shopping paradise for ordinary people.
However, with the passage of time, those who remain are mostly elderly proprietors mainly engaged in traditional trades such as tailoring and fabric sales, quietly witnessing the transformation of the old mall from prosperity to silence.