IPOH: A man has described how his younger brother tried to save their mother from a fire but was unable to pull her out of the house because metal grilles were blocking the way.
Raja Ikhwan Hadi Raja Ahmad, 47, said his younger brother, Raja Muhammad Shukri, 30, managed to reach their mother's hand and tried to pull her to safety but the grilles on the balcony prevented him from getting her out.
The fire claimed the lives of their parents, Zaitun Mohamed, 64 and Raja Ahmad Raja Ali, 70, as well as their nephew, Nik Abdurrahman Azimin Harith Helal, 18, in the two-storey terrace house on Persiaran Desa Tambun 4, Taman Desa Tambun here.
Raja Ikhwan, the eldest of five siblings, said he was asleep near the parking area when he heard his nephew shouting for help, followed by the sound of breaking glass at about 4am.
He said he tried to enter the house but was unable to do so as the fire was already raging and the smoke was thick, while neighbours who came to help also failed to rescue those trapped inside.
"I called for help from the neighbours, who contacted the Fire and Rescue Department and tried to save those inside the house but they were unsuccessful," he told reporters at the scene here on Sunday (Sept 20).
Raja Ikhwan said that several hours before the incident, his mother had told him that she had an uneasy feeling, as though something was about to happen.
Meanwhile, Helal Zamri, 37, the father of Nik Abdurrahman, said he was informed of the incident at about 5.30am and that his son had been living in the house since he was a child and was raised by his grandparents.
"The last time I saw my son and his grandparents was earlier this week. My son worked with me in our catering business," he said.
Raja Ikhwan said he had managed to move a motorcycle from the parking area but there was not enough time to save anything else. – Bernama
