Tightening fire safety in residential properties

In a home, occupants should feel safe. There are steps to ensure this peace of mind, like locking the doors and windows every night. Even safety grilles can be installed on windows to keep children in and thieves out. In gated properties, security guards keep watch over those coming and going.

Yet, there is one thing that can start with a spark in just a second: fire. Protecting a household should also mean considering how its occupants would get out during a fire.

That is a question that deserves attention before an emergency because a property changes as people live in it.

New appliances arrive, rooms get rearranged and new electrical sockets are installed.

Renovations happen as well to fit the new owner’s taste or simply to make space for growing families.

Ultimately, each change is an opportunity to check whether fire safety has kept pace.

From spark to blaze in minutes

In some cases, emergency services can get delayed and the consequences of a residential fire can rapidly extend across an entire neighbourhood.

On April 19 this year, a blaze in Kampung Bahagia, Sandakan, destroyed about 1,000 homes and displaced more than 9,000 people. Strong winds and closely spaced wooden houses quickly helped the fire spread while narrow access routes and low tide hampered firefighting efforts.

Fortunately, no deaths were reported in the initial account.

While the circumstances differ from those of an urban serviced apartment or even a terrace house, the incident still raises a wider property question.

How well do the homes that people rely on for safety allow them to escape during an emergency?

The little things

Staying on top of a potential fire risk is constant pressure.

An extra room to accommodate a new child, a changed kitchen layout to make cooking easier and additional appliances to save time. Fire safety should tag along with these changes from the onset.

One of the biggest risks for fires is electrical equipment.

The Fire and Safety Department (Bomba) released a statement that about 60% of house fires in the country are attributed to electrical issues.

The main causes include unsafe wiring, non-compliant electrical modifications and excessive use of electrical appliances. Common mistakes such as directly reconnecting a blown fuse or bypassing electrical safety systems can spark major fires, especially if the system fails to cut off the power during a short circuit or case of overheating.

Tenaga Nasional Bhd has published safety advice that strictly cautions against using broken appliances, like exposed circuitry or wires or equipment that has been exposed to water. It also warns against using circuitry that has been exposed to heat, vapour or even pressure.

These are visible issues that can determine whether an appliance is safe to continue using or should be binned and recycled.

For any alterations that involve electrical work, home owners are recommended to obtain a qualified assessment of what the installation is safely capable of supporting.

That is why any renovation budget should have leeway for assessments and other necessary electrical work, alongside the usual fittings and finishes.

Bomba advises home owners to have their wiring inspected by a licensed electrician every 10 to 15 years to detect possible electrical leaks, particularly in older houses or newly completed homes.

With the widespread adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) today, home charging is another installation to consider that could potentially turn into a fire risk.

Following an August fire at a terrace house in Cheras involving an EV being charged, Bomba said the rising trend of EV-related fires warrants attention as EV usage continues to grow.

Fortunately, for standard home fire insurance policyholders, fire damage is covered regardless of ignition source.

As a result, Bomba reported that residential EV charging installations currently lack dedicated national guidelines and is reviewing guidelines.

The department logged 27 EV or hybrid vehicle fires nationally from 2023 through July 2025, making residential structure loss from home-charging a rare high-visibility wake-up call for terrace and landed property owners.

Above all, property owners must arrange professional checks and installation before introducing new equipment into an existing home. Residential fire safety depends heavily on the decisions made long after handover.

Preemptive escape routes

Attention must also turn to escape routes. Fortunately, Bomba’s official fire-safety tips are simple and doable, like placing smoke detectors on every floor and identifying two escape routes from each room.

These recommendations should get households to consider both early warning and exit alternatives if their usual exits get blocked by falling debris or go up in flames.

Security arrangements also deserve the same consideration. Homeowners should get advice on escape provisions when choosing grilles and locks, particularly where these affect a potential exit because a route needs to be usable by the people living there.

Household planning should therefore consider children, older family members and anyone who needs assistance just to move around.

Check as often as possible

This brings fire safety into the everyday business of property management. Servicing, repairs and eventual replacement should be visible in maintenance planning, with qualified contractors advising on the work required.

Owners should be able to ask when the relevant systems were last checked, what defects were identified and what remains outstanding.

Clear records would help them understand the purpose of expenditure and whether approved work has been completed.

For landlords, a change of tenancy offers an opportunity to review the unit’s condition and explain emergency arrangements to incoming occupants.

For management bodies, resident briefings can help newcomers understand the building they now call home.

Keeping residential properties fire-ready requires attention throughout their occupied life. Renovations, maintenance decisions and daily use of common areas all deserve scrutiny.

The time to discover that an exit is obstructed or a reported defect remains unresolved is while there is still an opportunity to put it right.