JOHOR BARU, Jan 14 — Three people from a single family, including a young girl, died when their home in Ulu Tiram here, caught fire early this morning.

However, firemen managed to rescue a boy, 13, from the burning house along Jalan Limau Manis in Kampung Oren, Ulu Tiram.

Johor Jaya fire and rescue station operations commander Rafie Ahmad Sareng said they received a distress call regarding a fire involving a house at 2.46am.

"A total of 24 firemen with two Fire Rescue Tender (FRT), two Emergency Medical Rescue Service (EMRS) and one pick-up truck from Johor Jaya and Tebrau fire stations were immediately deployed to the scene.

"Upon arrival at the location at 3am, the house was engulfed in flames. The team also received information that there were four people trapped inside the house,” he said in a statement this morning.

Rafie Ahmad said firemen had to break the security door at the front entrance before entering the burning house and rescuing the boy.

"Later firemen found the bodies of a female adult and a young girl inside a bedroom, while the body of an adult male was found inside the toilet,” he said.

The boy, believed to be the eldest son of the family, suffered burn marks to his face and hands.

He was given immediate medical treatment at the location before sent to the Sultan Ismail Hospital.

Police later identified the deceased as Ng Geok Choo, 63; her son, Lee Chiw Yong, 30; and granddaughter, Chen Si Jing, 11.

He said the operation ended at 5.10am, with the house 80 per cent destroyed.