JOHOR BARU, MALAYSIA: A 43-year-old accountant, not realising that her 14-year-old son had been rescued from their burning house, died after she was trapped in his room on the second floor of their double-storey house while looking for him.

Fire and Rescue Department operations commander Abu Bakar Abd Rahman said that Kong Le Lee could have died from smoke inhalation.

Her husband Lim Tang Fong, 44, had snatched their son to safety in the 6am fire in Taman Setia Indah.

The fire is believed to have started on the second floor. Lim declined to be interviewed and was in shock over the death of his wife.

Abu Bakar said 19 firemen rushed to the scene after receiving a distress call at 7.02am.

"We took about 10 minutes to control the fire and put it out at 7.30am," he added. -The Star/ANN