Eight guests escape fire at homestay

Narrow escape: The fire caused extensive damage and forced eight women to flee, with one sustaining a broken right leg. — Picture courtesy of the Fire and Rescue Department

GEORGE TOWN: Eight women managed to escape during a fire at a three-storey homestay in Solok Sungai Emas, Batu Ferringhi near here.

One of the women aged 31 broke her right leg while the seven others suffered minor injuries.

Penang Fire and Rescue Department assistant director John Sagun Francis said they received an emergency call at 4.46am yesterday.

“All the women, who were renting the premises, managed to escape before the firefighters arrived.

“The fire involved the living room on the ground floor,” he said, adding that a team from the Bagan Jermal station was dispatched to the scene.

“The blaze was brought under control at 5.20am and fully extinguished 15 minutes later. The ope­­­ra­tion ended at 6.26am,” he said in a statement.

The seven women with light injuries are aged between 31 and 32. They are believed to have suffered smoke inhalation while escaping.

All victims received initial treatment at the scene before being taken to Penang General Hospital.