ROMPIN: Police have identified the three family members who died in the early morning house fire in Desa Mawar, Muadzam Shah.
Rompin police chief Supt Sharif Shai Sharif Mondoi said the first victim was Mohd Kahurolaizam Mokhtar, 42, who was found unconscious in a drain in front of the house and pronounced dead at Muadzam Shah Hospital.
Firefighters found the charred remains of the victim's wife, Siti Zaleha Aluha, 31, and their four-year-old son, Muhamad Putra Rayqal Mohd Kahurolaizam, in a corner of a room.
"However, the couple's two other sons, aged 16 and 10, managed to escape," he said in a statement on Saturday (Aug 15).
Sharif Shai said the neighbouring house, occupied by a 35-year-old man, his wife and their four children, was also damaged, but all six occupants escaped unharmed. The fire was fully extinguished at 5.05am.
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Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) deputy director-general of Operations Datuk Nordin Pauzi told reporters at the scene that the fire is believed to have started in one of the rooms.
"We need to look into the electrical wiring and other factors. The fire department will conduct a more thorough investigation to determine the cause," he said.
A Bernama check at the scene revealed that the fire had also destroyed a motorcycle and a car. Firefighters were on site, inspecting for any embers or hot spots that could reignite.
Meanwhile, acting community head of Desa Mawar 2, Khairizal Abdul Hamid, said he heard two loud explosions and rushed to the scene, less than 100 metres from his home.
"By the time I arrived, the flames were already big. The male victim is believed to have tried to save his wife and child. They had just moved here about a week ago. The man worked as a grass cutter, while his wife worked at a food outlet," he said. – Bernama
