MERBOK: Siti Natrah Mansur, 36, repeatedly uttered "Allahu Akbar" as she ensured her students' safety during a fire that engulfed Maahad Tahfiz Annur early this morning.
The dorm warden recounted being woken at 4am by an 18-year-old student screaming that the dormitory was on fire.
"She ran to wake me, shouting about the blaze. I immediately ensured all the students evacuated safely," Siti said when met at a temporary shelter at Masjid Al-Busyra here today.
Living next door to the dorm, she described the fire rapidly consuming the two-storey wooden building.
"All I could think of was saving the children. We evacuated while calling out 'Allahu Akbar' to stay calm amidst the panic. Alhamdulillah, no one was hurt," she said.
The students, aged between 9 and 18, escaped with only the clothes on their backs, losing books and personal belongings.
The fire destroyed the dormitory entirely, reducing beds, classrooms, and supplies to ashes.
Earlier, it was reported that the religious school dormitory, housing female students, was destroyed by fire. All the students escaped unhurt.
Sungai Petani Fire and Rescue Station chief Ismail Mohd Zain confirmed his team received an alert at 4am and responded immediately.
Student Nurhana Humaira Mohd Shatir, 13, described the ordeal as terrifying.
"I was asleep when a senior woke me up, screaming. I saw flames and ran. It was so hot, and everything burned so quickly. All I could think of was to get out," said Nurhana, who hails from Jitra.
The school's founder, Shahril Bani, 42, who is also Siti's brother, expressed heartbreak over the fire.
"We've lost everything — mattresses, beds, essentials — worth at least RM150,000. This is a devastating blow to the school, which has been operating for 15 years," he said.
He said that the affected building was a temporary facility while the school constructed a permanent site in Kampung Belau, which requires RM440,000 to complete.
"We've finished RM100,000 worth of work on the new site. Now, we must prioritise its completion to provide a proper learning environment," he added.
For now, students will return home and resume their studies online.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation.