Fire destroys apartment in KL

KUALA LUMPUR - Six people were left with only the clothes on their backs when an afternoon fire destroyed their apartment at the government quarters in Jalan Duta here yesterday.

During the fire, the unit which was located on the 20th floor, was occupied by Mahadi Abdullah, 41, his wife Roziah Abdul Rahman and their four children aged between 8 and 2.

Fortunately, no one was injured in the 1pm blaze.

The fire was first discovered by their neighbours, who lived at the opposite block.

They saw smoke coming from the window of the victims' unit.

It is learnt that Mahadi was sleeping in the bedroom while his wife and children were watching television when neighbours from the opposite apartment yelled for them to get out.

Mahadi said as he grabbed his family and got out from their unit, the neighbours helped to control the fire from spreading by using fire extinguishers before firemen arrived at the scene.

"Everything happened so quickly, but we did not panic and managed to rush out of the house," he said at the scene yesterday.

Mahadi said although he had lost all his belongings, he was grateful that his family was safe.

Seputeh Fire and Rescue Department operations head Japari Tajudin said they received the distress call at 1.09pm.

Six fire engines and 36 firemen from Sri Hartamas, Jalan Hang Tuah and Sentul fire stations arrived at the scene within 10 minutes.

The fire was put out 48 minutes later.

"The fire is believed to have broken out from one of the children's rooms about 1pm before the unit was completely engulfed in flames," he said.

Japari said the apartment suffered severe damage while an adjacent unit was slightly affected.

An investigation into the cause of the fire is under way.