Wakaf bharu: Returning home has become a routine of reassurance for Hamidah Ismail, 52, who carefully checks the windows and doors of her Wakaf Bharu house, all reinforced with iron grilles. For Hamidah, the grilles represent peace of mind - a shield protecting her family from crime, especially the break-ins that have become increasingly common in housing areas. 'People are getting more desperate these days, and break-ins are on the rise. So, we feel safer when all our windows and doors are fitted with grilles,' she told Bernama recently. Yet her sense of security is shaken by frequent reports of fire victims who died trapped behind the very grilles meant to protect them.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Hamidah's fears are not unfounded. Sharing his experience, Kelantan Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) director Farhan Sufyan Borhan said every fire tragedy involving deaths due to fixed grilles leaves an unforgettable scar. 'Grilles that cannot be opened from inside make rescue operations very difficult. We need to use crowbars or power cutters to break them, and this takes extra time. In a fire, every minute is critical as toxic smoke and high temperatures can kill victims very quickly,' he said.

In Kelantan alone, since 2004, at least three fire-related deaths have been recorded where victims could not escape because of iron grilles. Among them was an elderly woman who perished when her main grille door was locked with an external padlock. JBPM statistics indicate that 78 percent of house fires are caused by electrical issues, including old wiring, high-powered appliances used simultaneously, and unsafe wiring extensions. 'Some use multiple extension plugs on one socket. Others live in houses with 20-year-old wiring never inspected. These are time bombs,' he said.

Fires can break out at any time, without warning - while residents are asleep, at work, or even at home during the day. 'The real danger is not the flames, but toxic smoke that fills rooms within minutes. Without a quick escape route, victims can pass out from suffocation before the flames reach them,' he warned. As long as the 'not me' myth persists, deaths caused by grille entrapment will continue, he said.

Farhan Sufyan also lamented that most households still lack fire extinguishers, despite them costing less than RM100. 'People don't buy them because they think it's a waste. They don't realize it can save lives and property,' he said. Most Malaysians believe extinguishers are only necessary in offices, shops, or factories, where they are legally required. But at home, awareness is nearly absent, despite high residential fire rates each year.

'If a fire starts in the kitchen, for example, a burning pot, an extinguisher can put it out immediately before it spreads to curtains or the ceiling,' he said. Extinguishers not only put out small fires but also buy valuable escape time when flames spread rapidly. 'In a big fire, even if you can't put it out, you can use it to clear an escape path. Without one, survival depends on luck,' he said.

In developed countries like Japan and South Korea, extinguishers are basic household items, as essential as flashlights, first aid kits, or emergency supplies. 'In Malaysia, people only realize their importance after their house burns down. By then, it's too late,' he said.

To counter this perception, JBPM Kelantan actively conducts fire safety campaigns in schools and communities. This year alone, 158 fire safety programs have been held statewide, including evacuation drills and extinguisher training. 'We start educating children in kindergarten, primary school, and communities. The most important thing is they know the first action during a fire,' he said. Teaching children from a young age is key to building a more fire-aware generation, he added.

At the community level, programs emphasize fire prevention: maintaining wiring, checking appliances, and choosing life-friendly grilles. 'We also teach them how to use extinguishers. Many don't know - they think it must be shaken or aimed at the flames on top. Actually, you pull the pin, aim at the base of the fire, and spray from a one-meter distance while moving forward,' he explained. But he admitted that the biggest challenge is ensuring people apply this knowledge in daily life. 'Awareness without action means nothing. We can train and lecture, but if at home they still leave faulty wiring or install grilles without escape routes, tragedies will continue,' he said.

Farhan Sufyan reminded that while keeping homes safe from burglars is important, safeguarding lives must always take precedence. 'If fire breaks out and padlocks can't be opened, or digital codes are forgotten, those grilles stop being protection. They become a death trap,' he said. Many homeowners, he said, focus too much on protecting belongings and forget their homes are supposed to safeguard their families. 'There's no point spending thousands on the strongest grille in the market if it ends up blocking your family's escape. We must ask ourselves - are we willing to risk lives just because we fear burglars?' he asked. True safety, he stressed, means residents always have a way out. 'It's not wrong to protect against theft. But never at the cost of your life,' he said.