The fire and rescue department said there were no casualties and the fire was continuing to burn at the waste disposal site, which is Penang’s main landfill.

Tonight’s fire is one of the many that have occurred in recent years. A major blaze in January 2022 affected 11ha, with firefighting efforts stretching over several days. Another fire was reported four months later.

The most recent one last September razed an area measuring 5,000 sq m (half hectare).