KL's Kampung India settlement residents flee to escape fire

KUALA LUMPUR: Victims of a fire that destroyed at least five houses in Kampung India Settlement in Kampung Pandan here at around 9.45pm on Tuesday (March 12) had to flee to the main road to safety.

One of them, S Thulasi, said she realised her house was on fire when she saw flames from her kitchen and she rushed and informed her family immediately.

"Seven of us were at home when the fire happened and we couldn’t save anything. I thought of only saving myself.

"Identity cards, clothes, important documents, everything was destroyed by the fire. My family and I are totally destitute,” she told Bernama when met at the scene of the fire.

Checks by Bernama revealed at least five houses were destroyed with another 10 being affected by the fire, which took four fire engines and three tanker lorries to help put out.

A. Annuradah, who witnessed the fire, said he was on his way back home near the fire when he saw the flames.

"I stopped to see the fire and noticed that it was spreading so fast as the houses were close together,” he said.

Another eyewitness, K Saravanakumar said he saw many victims running away to save themselves, and only a few of them had managed to take their belongings.

Bernama has reached out to the Fire and Rescue Department for its official statement on the fire.- Bernama