1989 Taufiqiah Al-Khairiah madrasa fire
Fire incident
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The 1989 Taufiqiah Al-Khairiah madrasa fire, which occurred on 22 September 1989, was a fire that took place at Taufiqiah Al-Khairiah madrasa (also known as Madrasah Pondok Pak Ya) in Guar Chempedak, Kedah, Malaysia. Around 27 students, mostly girls, were killed in the incident.[2][3]
- Guar Chempedak, Kedah, Malaysia
- 5.9°N 100.43633°E
(27 Martyrs of the Pondok Pak Ya Fire)
 | |
| Date | 22 September 1989 |
|---|---|
| Location |
|
| Also known as | 27 Syuhada Peristiwa Kebakaran Pondok Pak Ya (27 Martyrs of the Pondok Pak Ya Fire) |
| Cause | Accident caused by a burning candle that was left alight in the hostel while the students had fallen asleep after studying[1] |
| Deaths | 27 |
Background
The fire at Sekolah Menengah Agama (SMA) Taufiqiah Khairiah Al-Halimiah, also known as Pondok Pak Ya, occurred at approximately 2:30 a.m. Malaysia Standard Time on 22 September 1989. At the time, the female dormitories were illuminated by candles due to a power outage. It is believed that one of the candles accidentally fell and ignited a mattress. The flames quickly spread throughout the wooden structure, engulfing the dormitory while most of the students were asleep.[4]
Eight wooden dormitory blocks were completely destroyed in the fire. A total of 27 female students perished in the incident. They were later buried at a special cemetery site known as "27 Syuhada Peristiwa Kebakaran Pondok Pak Ya" (The 27 Martyrs of the Pondok Pak Ya Fire Tragedy).[4]
Victims
A total of 27 victims, all women, were killed in the fire.[5]
- Faridah binti Che Daud
- Kamisah binti Sudin
- Norazura binti Abdul Wahab
- Siti Mariam binti Zakaria
- Khairul Asma binti Abdullah
- Faridah binti Baharom
- Mariani binti Lebai Hassan
- Norasmah binti Md. Nor
- Hamidah binti Abd. Hamid
- Asmah binti Osman
- Siti Noraini binti Yaacob
- Rokiah binti Abdullah
- Zuraini binti Md. Fadzil
- Sarina binti Shaari
- Norasiah binti Mehad
- Zaharah binti Ramli
- Asnidar binti Abu Bakar
- Paizah binti Isa
- Nurul Uyun binti Abdullah
- Anisah binti Osman
- Mashitoh binti Yaacob
- Ezzah binti Ismail
- Siti Aishah binti Nayan
- Syafinaz binti Ishak
- Suhaibah binti Mahmud
- Rosnani binti Ismail
- Rohani binti Syaari
Outcome
The incident drew significant attention from then-Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, who visited the site.[6] A Royal Commission of Inquiry determined that a candle, likely ignited flammable materials, causing the fire that destroyed eight wooden dormitory blocks and killed 27 female students, despite speculation about a gas stove contributing to the blaze. The Malaysian government subsequently mandated enhanced fire safety measures for all boarding schools to prevent future tragedies.[7][6]
Cultural impact
The incident was featured in an episode of Detik Tragik, a documentary series by TV3 that highlights national disasters. In addition, a dedicated documentary aired on Astro Oasis in December 2013, offering a detailed account of the incident, with a subsequent re-broadcast on Astro Box Office. A dramatized telemovie titled Pondok Pak Ya, directed by Wan Hasliza and produced by Astro, was also released to portray the events leading up to and following the fire.[4]
