TANAH MERAH: An elderly woman's hopes of celebrating Aidiladha with her family were dashed after the house she had lived in for more than 50 years was almost 90 per cent destroyed by fire early this morning.
Kamariah Abdullah, 78, affectionately known as Mok Yah, said that during the incident at about 6.15am, she was performing the dawn prayer when her grandson, Muhammad Reezky Abdullah, 13, informed her of the fire.
"I was shocked because the fire spread quickly, and I, along with two children and four grandchildren, including an eight-month-old baby, immediately left the house to save ourselves.
"It is estimated that nearly RM200,000 was lost due to the fire, including cash, two cars, a motorcycle, electrical appliances and household furniture," she said when met by Bernama near her house in Kampung Jakar here.
Commenting further, Kamariah, who suffers from high blood pressure, said that although the kitchen supplies for Aidiladha cooking had not yet been purchased, all her children had already expressed their intention to celebrate at the house.
"So far, I have not yet thought of a place for my children to gather to perform the korban (sacrificial rites); if possible, I want to do it at my house, but we will see first whether it is suitable or not," she said.
Meanwhile, Kelantan Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) operations centre, in a statement, informed that they received a call about the incident at 6.36am, and 12 firefighters from the Kemahang and Tanah Merah Fire and Rescue Stations were dispatched to the location.
"Upon arrival at the scene, it was confirmed that a fire had occurred involving a semi-permanent house measuring 30 x 50 square feet with 90 per cent destruction," it said. – BERNAMA