KUANTAN, April  17 — Thirteen residents, including an elderly individual and three children, escaped unharmed after a fire broke out at three houses in Taman Temerloh Jaya here early today.

A spokesman for the Pahang Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) said an emergency call was received at 2.26 am.

“One of the houses was 80 per cent destroyed, while two others sustained between 20 and 30 per cent damage.

“A Perodua Kancil parked nearby was also destroyed in the incident,” he said in a statement today.

He added that firefighters from the Bukit Angin Fire and Rescue Station (BBP) brought the blaze under control at 3.16 am using two auxiliary hose streams from the fire engine’s tank, along with a 100-foot hose connected to a nearby hydrant.

“The Temerloh BBP voluntary squad, which assisted in the operation, deployed a 300-foot hose with two water jets to prevent the fire from spreading to adjacent houses,” he said.

The cause of the fire and the extent of losses are still being investigated. — Bernama