BATU PAHAT: The simple act of boiling eggs caused a fire that razed eight homes to the ground near here, leaving 33 people with just the clothes on their backs.
Nur Haliza Hisham was boiling eggs at her home in Kampung Parit Lapis Semarang this morning when flames leapt out from the gas hose.
"While boiling eggs, I saw flames coming from the gas hose. I woke up my younger brother to help put out the fire, but we couldn't stop it," said Haliza, 24, recounting the devastating blaze that destroyed eight houses.
It is believed the fire started at 815.am in house No. 3, where Nur Haliza and her brother Hafiz, 20, lived.
She said the fire grew too quickly for her and Hafiz to fight.
"In just moments, the fire grew bigger, spreading to the roof. We immediately fled the house," she said when met at the scene.
Hafiz said he was sleeping after finishing his night shift as a security guard when the incident happened.
"As soon as I was told about the fire, I grabbed a wet cloth, hoping to extinguish the flames, but it didn't work. I ran outside to get a fire extinguisher, but the fire kept growing.
"Imagine using eight fire extinguishers and still not being able to stop it. Neighbours who saw the incident then called the Fire and Rescue Department for help," he said.
Hafiz sustained injuries after being hit by sparks while attempting to put out the flames.
Another victim, Muhamad Azroy Laurai, 36, said he heard noises coming from the zinc roof of his house and stepped outside to check.
"I saw smoke billowing from my neighbour's house, so I quickly went in to wake up my wife, Nur Farahim Abd Halim, and our 2-year-old daughter.
"I tried to telephone for help but couldn't, so I decided to ride my motorcycle nearly 5km to the Ayer Hitam Fire and Rescue Station to report the fire.
"When I returned, everything was destroyed. All our belongings and important documents were lost," he said.