Melaka Travel @ Malacca Tourism 马六甲旅游网 Melaka World Heritage

By R.S.N.MURALI

MALACCA: The century-old Lido Theatre building, a renowned landmark in the city, has gone up in smoke.

The blaze, which occurred just past midnight on Monday, destroyed most of the structure in Jalan Kee Ann.

The building no longer housed the theatre but its name was retained due to its historic value.

Lido Theatre was a popular haunt among movie-goers until it closed in 1990 to be converted into a supermarket.

All items in the supermarket were destroyed.

The fire also destroyed a row of fruit stalls.

Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rastam, who used to frequent the theatre as a schoolboy, was moved to tears when he went to inspect the damage at 2am on Tuesday.

“I used to watch movies here as a young boy … It was the only entertainment we had back in those days. I am deeply saddened by the fire’s destruction,” he told newsmen.

Mohd Ali, who was accompanied by Malacca Historic City Councillor Ronald Gan and Bunga Raya Development and Security Committee chairman Dr Lai Poon Fook, spent almost an hour at the site.

State Fire and Rescue Department assistant director (operations) Lokman Halim Sulaiman said 47 firemen in six engines and two skylifts battled the blaze, adding that they managed to douse the flames at 1.26am.

“We prevented the fire from spreading to neighbouring buildings which included a hotel. We also sourced water from Sungai Melaka,” he added.

[Courtesy of The Star, http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2012/8/7/nation/20120807210548&sec=nation]

Posted by admin on August 12, 2012 under Tourism News.