KUANTAN: Three members of a family were killed in a house fire in Desa Mawar in Muadzam Shah, Rompin.
Pahang Fire and Rescue Department operations and rescue division assistant director Mohd Salahuddin Isa said the fire claimed the lives of a man, his wife and their son, while two other children survived.
He said an emergency call was received at 4.11am yesterday and a team of firefighters was quickly deployed to the scene.
The blaze destroyed the family’s home while a neighbouring house, where all six occupants escaped unharmed, was about 70% damaged.
The cause of the fire and the total value of losses are still under investigation.
Police identified the victims as Mohd Kahurolaizam Mokhtar, 42, his wife Siti Zaleha Aluha, 31, and the couple’s four-year-old son, Muhamad Putra Rayqal.
Rompin OCPD Supt Sharif Shai Sharif Mondoi said Mohd Kahurolaizam was found unconscious in a drain in front of the house and pronounced dead at Hospital Muadzam Shah.
He said firefighters found Siti Zaleha and Muhamad Putra Rayqal in the corner of a room.
“The couple’s two other sons, aged 16 and 10, managed to escape,” said Supt Sharif Shai.
Acting community head of Desa Mawar 2, Khairizal Abdul Hamid, said he heard two loud explosions and rushed to the scene, located less than 100m 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.
