Teo: Ministry to help out fire victims of school quarters

The Education Ministry has promised to assist fire victims who stayed in the quarters of Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Batu Bungan, Mulu.

Deputy Education Minister Teo Nie Ching said one of the victims, Nur Syuhada Azhari, 27, a teacher at the school, was receiving treatment at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of Miri Hospital.

It is believed that the fire broke out after a blackout in the quarters.

Teo said that as a first step, the Ministry provided emergency assistance amounting to RM2,000 to Nur Syuhada.

“If she needs more leave and requires to be transferred to the Peninsular for follow-up treatment, we will assist her," she told reporters after visiting the teacher at the Miri Hospital today.

Teo said Nur Syuhada who is originally from Kelantan needed a longer period of time to fully recover before being allowed to resume work.

Teacher Catherine Janet Tiwi, 25, perished in the fire while her collegaues Nur Syuhada sustained severe burns and Siti Masrina had injuries on her legs.

Meanwhile, Nur Syuhada’s husband, Muhammad Rohaizad Abdul Rahim, 27, said his wife who had 35 per cent burns on her hands, face, back and legs, had shown some improvement since receiving treatment at the hospital, a day after the incident.

Rohaizad, said that they had only been married for a month, adding that his wife would receive follow-up treatment in Kuching once her condition was more stable.

Teo also visited the site of the fire with Sarawak education director Rakayah Madon and called on the families of the victims in Bau this evening.

- Bernama