KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 21 — Three pre-war shophouses were completely destroyed in a fire along Jalan Besar in Kuantan, Pahang, on Saturday.

According to the New Straits Times, the incident occurred at 4.45 PM, and no casualties were reported.

Ismail Abdul Ghani, the deputy director (operations) of the Pahang Fire and Rescue Department, said a report was called in at 4.45 PM, with the first fire engine arriving four minutes later.

A total of 43 firefighters from various fire stations, including Kuantan, Indera Mahkota, Taman Tas, and Gebeng were deployed along with four fire engines and two tanker lorries.

The fire destroyed a grocery shop, a carpet shop, and the money exchange outlet, but firefighters managed to bring the fire under control by 5.54 PM, preventing it from spreading to nearby premises.

The cause of the fire and the extent of the losses are still under investigation, as reported by authorities on the scene.

Sulaiman Abdul Aziz, the 57-year-old owner of the grocery shop, recounted that he noticed smoke coming from the rear section of the building upon returning from Asar prayers at a nearby mosque.

"Some workers cried for help. The fire spread quickly. We only managed to salvage some documents,” he was quoted as saying.