JOHOR BARU, Sept 13 — A 53-year-old woman died of smoke inhalation after a pre-dawn fire broke out at a row of shophouses along Jalan Senyum in Kampung Wadi Hana here today.
However, her three children — two sons aged 21 and 18 as well as a seven-year-old daughter — were rescued and sent to hospital for treatment.
Larkin Fire and Rescue station operations commander Senior Assistant Fire Chief Mohamad Faiz Suleiman said they received an emergency distress call on a fire incident at 4.53am.
He said a total of 49 firemen from the Larkin, Tebrau, Johor Jaya and Kempas Fire and Rescue stations in eight fire engines were immediately despatched to the scene.
“The fire destroyed three semi-permanent two-storey buildings that were shophouses with rental rooms located adjacent to each other.
“The fire had destroyed 70 per cent of the first building, while the second building was estimated to be at 90 per cent and the third building at 65 per cent,” said Mohamad Faiz in a statement today.
Mohamad Faiz said firemen were able to rescue the family from one of the rooms but the mother eventually succumbed at Hospital Sultanah Aminah where they were being treated.
Mohamad Faiz said the entire operation ended at 9.25am.
“The Fire and Rescue Department’s investigators are still probing the cause of the fire and the estimated losses,” he said.
