Fire at Yangon MPT exchange cuts phone and internet services

09 February 2023
Fire at Yangon MPT exchange cuts phone and internet services

A fire broke out at a Myanmar Post and Telecommunications phone exchange in Yangon’s Mayangone Township on 7 February.

According to the Myanmar Fire Services Department, the fire broke out at the MPT exchange on Kabar Aye Pagoda Road, in Mayangone Township’s Ward No. 5 at about 10:23 a.m. Fire trucks from the Fire Services Department were immediately dispatched and the fire was under control by 10:37 a.m. and completely extinguished by 10:45 a.m.

“The fire was burning in the internet server room. It broke out above the ceiling, then the ceiling fell down. We assume that the fire was caused by faulty wiring”, said the chairman of a philanthropic youth association who helped extinguish the fire.

Because of the fire, MPT customers had their communications disrupted. Users of MPT SIM cards had no internet or voice calls from 10:30 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. on 7 February.

“At first, I wondered if the junta had cut off internet access again because I could not use the internet or send messages. I could not make a call as well. Later on, I found out about the fire,” said an MPT user in Yangon.

At the time of reporting, some MPT customers were still having difficulties contacting the MPT call centre and some still had no fibre or mobile internet service. Apparently, MPT employees are working to restore the service as soon as possible.