Waking up for prayers saves family from fire

SUNGAI PETANI: The act of waking up for prayers around 2am had saved the lives of Jamil Tikan, 60, and his family from perishing in a fire involving four houses in Kampung Sungai Gelugor, Taman Petani Jaya near here early today.
Following cries warning of fire, Jamil, who had just awakened for prayers immediately woke up his family and ran out of the house to safety.
"At the time of the incident, my family of five and I, including my mother-in-law were in the house. As soon as we escaped the fire, I heard the cries of my neighbours who were trapped inside their house and tried to help them.
"When I tried to pull out their wallboard, a man, known as Samsul, who was believed to be holding onto the wall fell out from the house.
"He was on fire, but I was unable to help him due to the extreme heat. I could only see him rolling on the ground to put out the fire. I could still hear cries for help inside the house, but there was nothing I could do," he told Bernama when met at the scene today.

Jamil said Samsul's wife, Tobiyah, in her 40s, perished in the fire, and Samsul who suffered 70 per cent burns was being treated at the Sultan Abdul Halim Hospital, while their disabled 17-year-old son, known as Hassan escaped unscathed.
According to the residents, most of them came from Kampung Bangkalan, Madura, Indonesia and some were contract workers who had worked in Malaysia for over 30 years.
In an incident around 4am, a fire had claimed the lives of five people, three men and two women, while a 45-year-old man was being treated for severe burn injuries. — Bernama