PADAWAN: A rented unit on the first floor of a two-storey shophouse at Mile 7, Jalan Penrissen, has caught fire yesterday.
Padawan OCPD Supt Abang Zainal Abidin Abang Ahmad said it was believed that the unoccupied unit was used to carry out bitcoin mining activities.
He said a tenant staying next door noticed smoke coming out from the unit around 6.45pm and rushed to make an emergency call.
The firemen from Batu Lintang and Tabuan Jaya stations were despatched to the scene promptly.
However, a room specially made to store bitcoin mining rigs and machines on a five-story shelf was completely destroyed.
“It is estimated the illegal electricity connections had caused a loss of RM16,000 per month,” he said.
Meanwhile, a total of 57 cryptocurrency mining rigs, a modem, a laptop and two electrical meters were seized.
The Fire and Rescue Department believed that the fire was caused by a short circuit due to the illegal wiring connections.
According to the owner, the unit was rented to a man in March with a monthly rental fee of RM800.
Abang Zainal said no injuries or casualties were reported in the fire and the actual losses incurred is still under investigation.
The aftermath of the fire which had destroyed a room in a rental house unit in Mile 7, Jalan Penrissen yesterday.
