The Johor fire and rescue department said the operation to extinguish the flames was still ongoing at the time of writing.

Utusan Malaysia said residents along Jalan Kempas 7, about 50m from the site, were believed to have been instructed to evacuate their homes as a safety precaution.

Electricity supply to the nearby housing area has also been shut off.

Footage of the fire uploaded by netizens on social media shows fire and thick smoke emitting from the commercial area at Taman Megah Ria.