Friday August 5, 2011

Family faces bleak Raya after fire razes home

KUALA TERENGGANU: A family's plans for Ramadan and Hari Raya went up in smoke as their home in Kampung Serdang Baru here was razed in a fire.

The family's matriarch Nik Fatimah Embong, 62, said she also lost more than RM3,000 in aid, recently presented by the Welfare department.

Luckily, her nine children and three grandchildren were not hurt.

Up in flames: Firemen working hard to put out the fire in Kampung Serdang Baru Thursday.

She said the fire started at about 8.30pm after a lamp in her room toppled and ignited her bed sheets.

“I tried to put out the fire using a batik sarong but it fanned the flames instead. I then shouted to my family members to get out of the house,” she said.

Nik Fatimah said she had fond memories of the house and felt sad that they would not be able to celebrate Hari Raya there any more.

“We had lived here for more than 24 years. Three generations of my family were born here.

“It is even more heartbreaking that our Hari Raya clothing were also destroyed in the fire,” she said, adding it was the first time the family had shopped for the festive season early.

Nik Fatimah's daughter Norazlina Yusof, 28, said the family would seek shelter at a relative's house.

“This Hari Raya will not be the same. But I am thankful that none of us are injured,” she said.

Neighbour Abdul Rashid Abd Wahab, 64, said the fire spread very fast and engulfed the house in a matter of minutes.

“We will try our best to help the family in this time of need,” he said.