Elderly man, 80, was safely out of burning house - but dies after going back for belongings

Firefighters sifting through the burnt remains of the house in Serdang. -- PHOTO: THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
Firefighters sifting through the burnt remains of the house in Serdang. -- PHOTO: THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK

SERDANG (THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) - An octogenarian was safely outside his burning house in Taman Bukit Serdang, in the Malaysian state of Selangor, when he decided to go back in for some belongings.

The roof collapsed and he perished in the fire.

It is learnt that Mr Ten Yoon, in his 80s, and his family members were sleeping in the house when a fire broke out at about 5.30am yesterday.

His 50-year-old son Ten Kim Lai said he was awoken by the smell of smoke and started evacuating his parents and girlfriend.

"We were safely outside when my father rushed back into the house to save some possessions.

"The roof collapsed and he was never able to come out of the building," he said.

Neighbours said the family members were crying and wailing after the older Mr Ten was trapped inside the house.

The elderly man's body was charred beyond recognition when it was extricated by firefighters, who arrived at around 5.45am.

A neighbour, who did not want to be identified, said he saw fire coming from one of the air-conditioners in the house.

Selangor executive councillor Ean Yong Hian Wah said this was the third fire to have occurred in the area within 24 hours.

According to him, two factory buildings in Taman Serdang Utama were engulfed in flames at about 10am on Monday.

Another blaze swept through the second floor of a workers' hostel in Jalan Besar, Seri Kembangan, at about 6pm the same day, he said.

The Fire and Rescue Department confirmed that all three fires occurred.

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