Kuala lumpur: The Kedah Department of Environment (DOE) is monitoring air quality in areas surrounding a fire involving four factories in Lunas near here this morning. Kedah DOE director Sharifah Zakiah Syed Sahab said the Air Pollutant Index (API) reading from the Kulim Hi-Tech Air Monitoring Station was a moderate 68, with particulate matter (PM2.5) as the dominant parameter.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Kedah DOE will conduct continuous monitoring of the air quality status from time to time. Sharifah Zakiah noted that all API monitoring stations in Kedah, Penang, and several other states are also at moderate levels, which may be attributed to other sources.

Earlier, it was reported that four factories, comprising two garment factories, a candle factory, and a box manufacturing plant, were destroyed in a fire in Taman Makmur, Lunas early this morning. Kedah Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) director, Senior Assistant Fire Commissioner Awang Hidzel Awang Bujang, said they received an emergency call on the fire at 6.57 am. He added that no casualties were reported in the incident, and the cause of the fire remains under investigation.