Fire officials sift through the rubble at BME II on October 30. Pic: Aye Zaw Myo

POPULAR nightclub and music venue BME II caught fire last week, causing damage to DJ equipment, furniture and other equipment but resulting in no injuries.

The blaze at the club, located adjacent to Yangon International Hotel on Ahlone Road, broke out around 12:15pm on October 30, shortly after three staff members arrived to turn on refrigerators and fans at noon as usual.

Shortly after the fire was reported, 22 fire trucks and five administration vehicles arrived on the scene. Firemen were able to bring the blaze under control within about 30 minutes and by 12:55pm it was completely out.

“I was shocked when I saw a lot of smoke coming out of the club,” said Ms Juree Setavoraphan, the owner of Black Canyon coffee house adjacent to BME II. “About half of my restaurant was filled with customers and when they realised a fire had broken out they all ran.”

“I’m glad it wasn’t worse and didn’t spread. It’s not easy to clean and decorate an entire restaurant,” she said.

An official from the Kyauktada Fire Brigade said at the scene that the fire likely resulted from poor wiring practices.

“As you can see, they tie the electric cords and plugs together and cover them with plastic so the wires get hot and burn,” the official said. “In most fire cases people like to say it wasn’t their fault and blame it on a faulty electrical system, but the reality is that people should have their wiring system checked at least once a year.”

The BME II blaze was the 10th fire in Yangon during October. Club manager Ko Moe said BME II will eventually reopen but added that the exact date would depend on the cost of renovations and the time needed to finish repairs.