Rethinking fire safety for Malaysia’s high-rise living

A NEW approach to fire safety is increasingly necessary as Malaysia’s urban landscape evolves, particularly with the growth of high-rise living and ageing residential buildings.

Safety and risk specialist Lee Cho Hing recommends adopting a comprehensive framework built on three pillars: prevention, protection and preparedness as fire safety strategies must now move beyond basic regulatory compliance.

While existing regulations, such as the Fire Services Act 1988 and the Uniform Building By-Laws, provide a baseline, Lee said compliance alone is no longer sufficient to address evolving fire risks.

He noted that Malaysia’s fire safety regulations generally apply across all buildings, regardless of whether they are new developments or decades-old apartments.

However, many older residential blocks were built according to technical standards that were considered adequate at the time but may no longer reflect current safety expectations.

“As fire safety requirements have advanced, some older buildings now face challenges because their designs are not aligned with modern safety standards,” he said.

One example is the open-concept layout commonly seen in older apartment blocks.

Features such as open walkways and ventilated stair shafts were originally intended to improve airflow, but in the event of a fire they can unintentionally accelerate the spread of flames and smoke throughout the building.

Modern household materials also contribute to faster fire development.

Research by the Underwriters Laboratories Fire Safety Research Institute shows that many contemporary household items contain synthetic materials such as polyurethane foam and polyester, which burn far more rapidly than traditional materials used decades ago.

“In similar fire scenarios compared with 30 or 40 years ago, fires today can spread four to five times faster because of the materials used in modern homes,” Lee said.

Additional risks arise from everyday practices within residential buildings. In many apartment blocks, residents place personal belongings along walkways and staircases meant to serve as emergency escape routes.

These items can become combustible obstacles, allowing fire to spread quickly along evacuation paths that should remain clear.

To address these risks, Lee said prevention must begin with identifying and reducing fire hazards before an incident occurs.

This includes conducting professional fire risk assessments tailored to individual buildings, managing combustible materials within residential units and ensuring escape routes remain unobstructed.

Protection, meanwhile, focuses on ensuring that fire detection and suppression systems are properly designed, installed and maintained.

Lee said developers often rely on standard design codes rather than conducting detailed risk evaluations to understand the specific fire exposure of a building.

More customised planning could significantly improve safety outcomes.

Regular inspections, proper maintenance of firefighting equipment and the upgrading of older systems where necessary are also crucial elements of protection.

Preparedness emphasises community awareness and readiness.

Residents must be actively involved in maintaining a safe environment rather than relying solely on building management or authorities.

“The mindset should shift from ‘I must comply with fire safety requirements’ to ‘I want my home to be safe from fire’,” Lee said.

He encouraged residents to speak up when they notice potential hazards within their buildings and to ask simple but important questions, such as whether an item is combustible or whether an escape route is safe.

Public education, community drills and school-based fire safety programmes can also play a vital role in strengthening preparedness, particularly as more Malaysians live in dense urban housing.

Despite the presence of regulations, enforcement and compliance remain persistent challenges. Many buildings still fail inspections and in some cases, inspections are rarely conducted.

Even when fire protection systems exist, poor maintenance can render them ineffective.

“In some incidents, when emergency responders arrive, firefighting equipment either does not work or is not available,” Lee said, adding that such situations delay rescue operations and increase the risk of severe damage or casualties.

Ultimately, Lee said the challenge facing Malaysia is no longer just about constructing taller buildings, but ensuring that fire safety systems, regulations and community awareness evolve just as quickly to protect the people living inside them.