KUALA LUMPUR: "I could sense (that something bad had happened)," said Nasrun Mat Yusof, about his feelings prior to learning about the Darul Quran Ittifaqiyah Tahfiz school fire at Bukit Keramat this morning.
Both of Nasrun’s sons were students at the school.
His youngest, Mohd Izmuddin, 12, died in the fire.
His elder son, Zunnur Misrin, 15, is in critical condition at the Kuala Lumpur Hospital (HKL) with severe burns on his back.
Izmuddin was one of 21 students and two wardens who perished in the 5.41am tragedy – the second-worst school fire in Malaysia in recent times.
Nasrun, 46, said he was informed about the incident by phone by one of the tahfiz school teachers.
"When I received the call in the early morning, I could sense that something had happened," he said when met outside the HKL mortuary.
Nasrun said prior to the incident, Izmuddin was unlike his usual self.
"When they were home for Hari Raya Aidiladha recently, he looked unhappy and was very quiet.
"But when I visited the school with my wife last Friday, he managed to finish all the food we had prepared for him and his brother," he said.
Nasrun said his two sons joined the tahfiz school two years ago and had managed to memorise 10 juzuk of the Al-Quran.
He said he accepts the death of his son as fate.
Izmuddin is expected to be buried at a Muslim Cemetery in Karak once his body is released by the mortuary.