Neighbour heard fire victims screaming for help

HULU SELANGOR (Bernama): The next-door neighbour of the victims of a fire in Kampung Alah Batu, Ulu Bernam early Monday (Aug 19) morning heard them scream for help but couldn't do anything.

"I heard a woman shouting for help from next door, but I was helpless as the blaze was just too intense and it spread very fast, ” said Rabaiah Yunus, 58.

Rabaiah, who lived next door to the victims, said she heard someone screaming for help as she had just woke up to cook for her daughter who was returning to Manjung.

"My son-in-law, who had also woken up, heard the shouts and thought there was a thief but on coming out of the house, we saw the flames getting bigger.

"We just could not do anything except to alert other neighbours as everyone was asleep, ” said Rabaiah, who was in tears when met by Bernama here Monday.

In the 3.51am incident, Mohd Sharidan Abdul Aziz and his wife Siti Rafini Mohd Rafiee, in their 30s, and their son, Rafiq Mohd Sharidan, were found burnt to death in a room in the house.

Rabaiah said the deceased family moved in since January and they were good neighbours and said: "I considered them as my own children."

Meanwhile, Mohd Sharidan’s father, Abdul Aziz Mohd Idris, 58, said the victim was third in a family of five siblings and he was close to his son.

"I last met him on Sunday (Aug 18) as there was an engagement feast in my house.

"Whenever he went out to do his business, he would stop by my house almost every day.

"We accept what had happened over the loss of my son, daughter-in-law and my grandson, ” he said.

He said the late couple sold fried chicken next to SMK Besout near here and their son was one year and two months old.

It is learnt that all three victims would be laid to rest at Kampung Kuala Slim Muslim Cemetery here after post-mortem by the Slim River Hospital Forensics Unit. - Bernama