Friday August 10, 2007
Five in family die in fire
By BEH YUEN HUI
KLUANG: A couple and three of their children were killed when their house was destroyed in a pre-dawn fire that is believed to have been caused by a lit candle.
They were using candles because the electricity to the house had been disconnected as they could not pay the bill.
Firemen found the charred bodies of factory worker Kasmuri Jasman, 44, his wife Supiah Abdul Karim, and their sons Hishamuddin, 13, Nurul Marcella, 10, and Izwanuddin, eight, at the back portion of the semi-wooden house in Kampung Tengah, Paloh near here.
Another daughter, 15-year-old Nur Farhana, managed to escape unhurt.
Nur Farhana said her family had to use candles in the night because their electricity supply was disconnected 10 days ago.
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Burnt down: Firemen searching for clues at a house which was razed in a fire in Kg Tengah, Paloh near Kluang, Johor yesterday. |
Bernama reports that according to neighbour Jamliah Othman, Kasmuri was forced to delay settling the home electricity bills as he needed the money for his three other children who were studying at institutions of higher learning.
She said Sufiah told her about it a few days ago.
Fearing the danger candles posed to the neighbourhood, Jamliah said she called the Kluang Fire and Rescue station three days ago to inform them about the matter.
She believed that strong winds early yesterday had caused the candle to fall over while the family was asleep.
Nur Farhana said she woke up feeling very hot at 3.45am.
“I saw fire in my brothers' room. I was so scared and screamed for help,” said the Form Three student.
Nur Farhana said she then led her siblings to the front door to escape but her parents went to the back portion of the house.
“As I ran out of the house, my sister and brothers turned back to look for our parents.
“I wanted to go in again but neighbours stopped me,” she said when interviewed at her uncle’s house nearby.
She has three other siblings studying in local universities.
Fire and Rescue Department operation commander Zahari Hassan said 16 firemen in two engines were sent to the scene after a distress call was received at 3.57am.
“We found five bodies – one in the toilet, one in the shower room and three near the back door,” he said.
OCPD Asst Comm Mohd Fawzi Arshad said police were also investigating if there had been foul play.
The five victims were buried at the Kg Belahan Tampok Islamic Cemetery in Batu Pahat.
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