[Watch] Illegal Rooftop “Cage Homes” Houses Nearly 100 Foreign Workers In The Heart Of KL

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Authorities have raided three buildings in the city centre where illegal rooftop structures were partitioned into 27 cramped units and rented out to foreign workers for as little as RM200 a month—raising serious fire safety concerns.

The joint operation, led by the Kuala Lumpur Fire and Rescue Department alongside police and city council officers, took place on Tuesday morning (30 June) along Jalan Tun H.S. Lee.

The crackdown comes less than two months after a deadly fire at a nearby building on the same street killed one foreign national and injured 11 others on 12 June.

That building was also found to have illegal rooftop additions.

According to Fire and Rescue Department’s Fire Safety Division director, Datuk Norazam Khamis, the three raided buildings had their rooftops illegally covered with tin sheeting, then subdivided into a total of 27 units.

Each unit housed at least two people, with some larger rooms accommodating up to four tenants.

The largest rooms measure about 10 feet by 10 feet and rent for around RM800 a month, housing at least four people. The smallest are roughly 6 feet by 4 feet—just enough for two single beds—and go for about RM200 a month.

Flammable Walls, Indoor Cooking, and No Fire Exits

Norazam said the structures were built using wood, plywood, and gypsum board—all highly flammable materials with no fire-resistant properties.

Most tenants also cook inside their rooms, which further increases the fire risk.

He warned that in the event of a fire, the tin structures could turn into what he described as a “scalding death cage,” with little to no means of escape for those trapped inside.

The department has issued notices under Section 8 of the Fire Services Act 1988, requiring the building owners to eliminate the fire hazards; failure to comply could result in court-ordered closure of the premises.

Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) has also issued a seven-day notice demanding the demolition of the illegal structures.

Legal action will follow if the order is not obeyed.

The tenants, mostly foreign workers, are believed to have chosen the units due to low rental costs and limited housing options.

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[Watch] Illegal Rooftop “Cage Homes” Houses Nearly 100 Foreign Workers In The Heart Of KL
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