Family Unaware Three Children Were Trapped Inside Burning House - Grandfather

KOTA KINABALU, Aug 30 (Bernama) -- The family members of the three children who were killed in a fire at Kampung Lok Buta, Numbak, early today did not realise they were still in the house when the incident happened.

M Nasir Jalani, 68, the grandfather of the three victims, said he woke up when he heard one of his children screaming that their neighbour’s house was on fire.

“Upon learning that my house could not be saved, I ran out. I ran back into the house, but the children were not there. If I knew they were in the room, perhaps I could have saved them,” he said when met at the scene today.

Also present was Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Sabah and Sarawak) Datuk Mustapha Sakmud, who is also the Sepanggar Member of Parliament.​​​​​​

M Nasir said he had invited his three grandchildren to stay at his house a few days ago to celebrate the wedding of one of his children, but never expected the tragedy to occur.

He said the family only realised that the three children were missing after they had reached a safe area.

More than 200 houses were destroyed and three children, including two siblings, lost their lives in the early morning fire.

They victims were identified as Nana Abdullah, 4, her brother Mohd Asrul Abdullah, 6, and their cousin Nurfarahdilah Mohd Tajihah, 8.

Meanwhile, Roslani Ladin, 65, said he managed to rescue more than 10 members of his family by using a boat to take them to the home of a relative located not far from the scene.

Roslani, who is lso a fisherman, said he made several trips to move his family to safety as the fire had yet to spread to his house at the time, although the house was eventually destroyed in the blaze.

“We have lived here for over 20 years. There had been fires before but not here. This is the first time it has happened in Kampung Lok Buta,” he said, adding that he was now staying temporarily at one of his children’s homes.

-- BERNAMA