4 Muar Children Killed In Housefire
The mother went to buy food for iftar while the father was working at a restaurant during the deadly fire that killed the 4 kids aged between 3 and 8.
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Four children were killed in a house fire in Kampung Sabak Awor, Muar last Wednesday night (29 March).
Muar Fire & Rescue station chief Shahrizal Mokhtar said they received a distress call at 7.49 pm. 20 firefighters and machinery from the Muar and Bukit Gambir Fire & Rescue stations were deployed to the scene. The house was 80% destroyed when firemen arrived.
The four victims, two boys and two girls were found dead, hugging each other on the bathroom floor near the kitchen. The victims were Puteri Aisyah Tenko To, 8, Mohd. Hakim, 6, Mustakim, 4, and Fatihah Aisyah, 3.
As reported by Utusan Malaysia, the kids were left unattended when their mother, Nabila Sedu, 31 went out to buy food for iftar preparations while their father, Thein Ko Htut, 30 was working at a restaurant.
According to Muar District Police Chief, Assistant Commissioner Raiz Mukhliz Azman Aziz, the fire that started in the kitchen is believed to be due to a short circuit, but it is still under further investigation by the fire department.
The victims were confirmed dead at the scene and so far the case is being investigated as sudden death (SDR).
The house was fully locked except for the kitchen space and the kids were found lifeless there, hiding in the bathroom, believed to be a way of saving themselves.
Assistant Commissioner Raiz Mukhliz Azman Aziz, Muar District Police Chief
He further said that just 10 minutes after leaving the house, the mother got a call from her neighbours regarding the emergency. The rescue operation then ended at 9.52 pm.
Mother is sad that she couldn’t prepare their black-themed Raya outfits this year
Based on Berita Harian‘s report, Nabila was in despair while waiting at the Sultanah Fatimah Specialist Hospital Forensic Department (HPSF). She was seen kissing and hugging her child’s kindergarten clothes.
When interviewed in a state of tears, she said that she was upset that she did not have time to buy raya clothing accessories in conjunction with the upcoming Aidilfitri celebration for them.
They wanted a black theme for this year’s Eid…
Nabila Sedu, mother of 4 housefire victims
However, they couldn’t get further answers or asked more questions as the parents were seen very heartbroken and were rushing to leave the hospital.
Their faces were still pure
Just yesterday (30 March), when they buried the victims, famous Islamic preacher, Ebit Liew came to offer his condolences. He said that this family came from Kuala Kubu Baru, Selangor and stayed in Johor for 4 years. They came from a very poor family that didn’t even have some electrical appliances or a television.
The little ones’ faces were all clean and not burnt. Even if there were scratches, it was just minimal. They were all found in the bathroom and probably died due to smoke inhalation and severe heat.
Ebit Liew, Islamic Preacher & Entrepreneur
Ebit said Nabila told him that her daughter Aisyah had always wanted to meet him.
Fire safety involving kids is an important life-saving knowledge that each parent should be equipped with.
In January, two kids, aged 8 & 10, were found dead after a fire broke out in their home in Gombak. Their parents had gone out at about 3 am, as the pregnant mother had a craving at the time. They left and locked the kids at home because they were sleeping soundly. But little did they know, a fire ravaged the house, leaving their kids trapped in the living room.
Tips to save yourself when trapped in a fire
Although the most obvious thing to do during a fire is to find the exit, here are a few other tips on what to do if you’re trapped in a building that caught on fire.
- Cover your mouth and nose with a wet cloth to prevent inhaling toxic smoke.
- If trapped in a room, seal the openings of the door or vents with blankets or clothes to prevent smoke from coming in. It would be best if the clothes are wet. Call and wait for firefighters there.
- If you wanna try to get out, you should check if the doorknob is hot. If it is, there might be a blazing fire right outside, so try another alternative, such as the window. If it’s not hot, then you can proceed with your escape plan.
- If you want to head out in a fire, do not stand, instead, crawl on your knees about 30 – 60 cm from the floor with better air quality.
- Don’t hide in the bathroom because as the water in there gets boiling, it evaporates, making the atmosphere there even hotter.
- Don’t hide under the bed or closet as firefighters might find it hard to find you.
- If you’re trapped in a high building, open the window a bit and throw a blanket or cloth to signify your presence there. Don’t open the window too long as it will draw fire to it.
- If you’re at a second-story building, then you can proceed to use the window as an escape plan if no other exit is viable.
- If you manage to get a fire extinguisher, remember to pull the safety pin out, and spray it at the base of the fire, following the direction of the wind.
- If you are caught on fire, in an open space, cover your face and stop, drop and roll to put out the fire.
These tips apply to everyone, kids or adults.
But parents should teach their children about fire safety or have a drill whenever they have a chance. You might not know when they need all the knowledge.
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