KOTA KINABALU: A fire tragedy struck Sabah on Monday afternoon, leading to the heartbreaking loss of five young children, including three belonging to a pregnant woman who was rushed to the hospital. The incident has left the local community devastated.
The deceased children have been identified as Raisa, four, and her younger sisters, Raidah, three, and Raina, one, along with their neighbors Almidah, 14, and three-year-old Siti Faridah. Their bodies were discovered in the bathroom of the house, highlighting the tragedy of their untimely deaths.
According to Agustavia Joe Guasi, Chief of the Lintas Fire and Rescue Services Department, the fire broke out just as the pregnant woman began experiencing severe contractions. “She was in the process of preparing to go to the Likas Women and Children’s Hospital when the fire ignited,” Guasi explained, detailing the unfortunate timing of the blaze.
Emergency responders were alerted to the situation at 12:44 PM, prompting a rapid response from 33 firefighters from the Lintas, Kota Kinabalu, and Putatan stations. The fire started at Jalan Lembaga Padi, Lorong Burung Keleto in Likas, spreading swiftly and destroying three homes, a storeroom, and a sundry shop.
“The woman was taken to the hospital, where she has since given birth,” Guasi reported, but details about her condition and identity remain unavailable.
In a poignant reflection, Wahid Maulan, 44, the father of the two young victims, expressed his profound sorrow. A construction worker, Wahid had last seen his daughters, Siti Faridah and Almidah, just the day before, having promised them some pocket money upon his return from work in Kota Belud.
“I kissed both my daughters goodbye, asking them to pray for my job. I never thought that would be the last time I would see them,” he shared, the weight of grief evident in his words.
After learning about the fire, Wahid rushed back from Kota Belud, only to confront the heartbreaking reality of losing his daughters. “This trial is incredibly heavy, but I accept it as Allah’s will that they were taken from us so young,” he said, grappling with the enormity of his loss.