27 Syuhada Peristiwa Kebakaran Pondok Pak Ya (27 Martyrs of the Pondok Pak Ya Fire)
Cause
Accident caused by a burning candle that was left alight in the hostel while the students had fallen asleep after studying[1]
Deaths
27
The 1989 Taufiqiah Al-Khairiah madrasa fire, which occurred on 22 September 1989, was a fire that took place at Taufiqiah Al-Khairiah madrasa (also known as Madrasah Pondok Pak Ya) in Guar Chempedak, Kedah, Malaysia. Around 27 students, mostly girls, were killed in the incident.[2][3]
The fire at Sekolah Menengah Agama (SMA) Taufiqiah Khairiah Al-Halimiah, also known as Pondok Pak Ya, occurred at approximately 2:30 a.m. Malaysia Standard Time on 22 September 1989. At the time, the female dormitories were illuminated by candles due to a power outage. It is believed that one of the candles accidentally fell and ignited a mattress. The flames quickly spread throughout the wooden structure, engulfing the dormitory while most of the students were asleep.[4]
Eight wooden dormitory blocks were completely destroyed in the fire. A total of 27 female students perished in the incident. They were later buried at a special cemetery site known as "27 Syuhada Peristiwa Kebakaran Pondok Pak Ya" (The 27 Martyrs of the Pondok Pak Ya Fire Tragedy).[4]
Victims
A total of 27 victims, all women, were killed in the fire.[5]
Faridah binti Che Daud
Kamisah binti Sudin
Norazura binti Abdul Wahab
Siti Mariam binti Zakaria
Khairul Asma binti Abdullah
Faridah binti Baharom
Mariani binti Lebai Hassan
Norasmah binti Md. Nor
Hamidah binti Abd. Hamid
Asmah binti Osman
Siti Noraini binti Yaacob
Rokiah binti Abdullah
Zuraini binti Md. Fadzil
Sarina binti Shaari
Norasiah binti Mehad
Zaharah binti Ramli
Asnidar binti Abu Bakar
Paizah binti Isa
Nurul Uyun binti Abdullah
Anisah binti Osman
Mashitoh binti Yaacob
Ezzah binti Ismail
Siti Aishah binti Nayan
Syafinaz binti Ishak
Suhaibah binti Mahmud
Rosnani binti Ismail
Rohani binti Syaari
Outcome
The incident drew significant attention from then-Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, who visited the site.[6] A Royal Commission of Inquiry determined that a candle, likely ignited flammable materials, causing the fire that destroyed eight wooden dormitory blocks and killed 27 female students, despite speculation about a gas stove contributing to the blaze. The Malaysian government subsequently mandated enhanced fire safety measures for all boarding schools to prevent future tragedies.[7][6]
Cultural impact
The incident was featured in an episode of Detik Tragik, a documentary series by TV3 that highlights national disasters. In addition, a dedicated documentary aired on Astro Oasis in December 2013, offering a detailed account of the incident, with a subsequent re-broadcast on Astro Box Office. A dramatized telemovie titled Pondok Pak Ya, directed by Wan Hasliza and produced by Astro, was also released to portray the events leading up to and following the fire.[4]
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