KOTA BHARU: Seven families were left only with the clothes on their backs in a fire which destroyed eight wooden houses along Jalan Sultanah Zainab in Kampung Sireh here early today.
The eighth house was unoccupied.
Kelantan Fire and Rescue Department operations officer Abu Hassan Mohd Nawi, in a statement today, said nine fire engines, including two lorry tankers, with 41 fire-fighters from five fire and rescue stations rushed to the scene after receiving a distress call at 2.56 am.
The fire team arrived at the scene at 3.11 am and found eight houses on fire, he said, adding that the team managed to control the fire at 5.11 am.
He said the firemen were from the Kota Bharu, Pengkalan Chepa, Tunjong, Pasir Tumboh and Pengkalan Kubor fire and rescue stations.
Meanwhile, one of the fire victims, Muhammad Shaari, 21, when met by Bernama, said he heard shouts for help and saw several houses on fire when he got out of his house to check.
âI got back into the house and immediately woke up my mother and younger siblings who were sleeping upstairs and rushed out to safety,â said Muhammad, who suffered slight scalding on the leg during the escape.
He said the family was given temporary shelter at a kindergarten by the village head. â Bernama
