GEORGE TOWN: The family of Tanjung MCA Youth chief Lim Swee Bok were killed when a fire broke out at their house in Pintasan Cecil 5 in Weld Quay early Wednesday (Nov 15).
Those who died were Lim's mother Lau Sai Poh, 62, his wife Chen Yen, 35, son Yin Chun, nine, and eight-year-old daughter Jia Yiin.
It was a second blow for Lim after his father passed away at age 72 on Nov 5.
Fire and Rescue Department director Sadoon Moktar said three bodies were found on the ground floor while the fourth, believed to be a child, fell from the second floor after the floor collapsed.
Neighbour Lye Chooi Ngoh, 51 said they were sleeping when they heard shouts which woke them up. They ran downstairs and saw the house next door engulfed in flames.
"We didn't know what happened until someone called us.
"I started hosing down the fire with two others who lived nearby while calling the Bomba but the fire was too big," Lye said.
Another neighbour, Sally Lim, 35, said they saw the family of four completing their calendar business at 3am when they passed the house.
"The neighbours told them to go to bed as it was late but 2 hours later, a fire started," she said.
A Fire and Rescue Department spokesperson said 20 firemen from the Lebuh Pantai and Jalan Perak stations rushed to the scene after receiving a call at 6.08am. They managed to put out the fire at about 7.10am.
The spokesperson said about 60% of the double-storey house was destroyed in the fire.
"The fire started at the ground floor before spreading to the upper floor. Early investigation showed that there were four victims in the house," the spokesman said.
Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng arrived at the house at around 11.30am and was seen consoling a family member.
He said the state government would assist in the funeral arrangements of the victims.
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