Youth with disablity dies in Bayan Lepas fire

GEORGE TOWN, May 8 (Bernama) -- A youth with a disability was killed after a room in his family unit on the eighth floor of Pangsapuri Desa Bayan, Bayan Lepas near here caught fire today.

Muhammad Nur Iqmal Aiman Mohd Shakrisham,18, was found lying face down in his room and sustained 80 per cent burns on his back.

 Penang Fire and Rescue Department assistant director (Operations) Mohd Hafiz Hafizal Timaradin said they received a distress call at  8.59 am. A team from the Bayan Baru Fire and Rescue station arrived at the location about seven minutes later.

“Upon arrival, we discovered that the unit, located on the eighth floor, was already on fire. We also found the door locked and we had to break down the door to gain access into the unit to douse the fire.

“We also discovered that the fire was confined to a room. Once we extinguished the fire, we found the victim’s body in a corner of the room,” he said to reporters at the location.

Mohd Hafiz Hafizal said the initial examination found that the victim had suffocated due to the smoke inhalation and he was quite hyperactive youth. He would be left in a room whenever his father was away at work.

“We have been informed that whenever the father leaves for work, the victim would be left in the room alone. There are only two of them living in the unit. The victim’s younger sister does not live with them,” he said.

The victim’s remains have been sent to the Penang Hospital for post-mortem and the cause of the fire was still being investigated.

Meanwhile, the victim’s grieving father, Mohd Shakrisham Mohamad, in his 40s, was visibly shocked by the incident.

“I left for work at 6.40 am today and as usual I locked the door. I was informed about the fire while at work and immediately went home. I was told that my son was involved. He was all alone at home. I don’t know what to say...I am just devastated,” he said.

Mohd Shakrisham who had just lost his wife on March 9 to cancer, said that it became his routine to hug and apologise to his son every morning before leaving for work. 

“Daily, before leaving for work, I will hug and apologise to him. It is our daily routine and my boy will come to hug me, apologise and tell me that he loves me,” said Mohd Shakrisham who works at a sundry shop nearby.

-- BERNAMA