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Highland Towers collapse in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Highland Towers Collapse in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (1993)

A huge mudslide brought on by heavy rain triggered the collapse of a 12-storey building on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur on December 11, 1993. Within hours after its activation, the SCDF rescuers are already inside the collapsed building searching for survivors.

The rescue effort was hampered by the unstable rubble, which is made worse by the near constant rain. At one stage of the operation, all rescue efforts had to be halted following a minor landslide on the hill behind the collapsed building. Still the officers toiled away refusing to give up.

This incident later prompted the Malaysians to set up their own specialised rescue unit, the Special Malaysian Assistance and Rescue Team (SMART). The team underwent advance-training courses in Singapore, and like Dart, it has since also helped in international rescue efforts.