A fire early today at a double-storey bungalow in Sungai Long, Kajang, used as an old folks’ home resulted in the deaths of five people, according to the Selangor Fire and Rescue Department.

Its assistant director of operations, Mohd Sani Harul, said no other details were available as yet on the fire and the total number of people affected.

Kajang District Police chief Ahmad Dzaffir Mohd Yussof is scheduled to hold a press conference on the incident.

Mohd Sani said the department was summoned at about 5am and quickly sent 15 firefighters from the Kajang and Bangi fire and rescue stations.

“The fire was at a double-storey bungalow being used as an old folks’ home,” he said when contacted.

Meanwhile, Usman Muhammad, 35, a worker at the home, said he was sleeping on the ground floor when he was awoken by a the sound of what seemed like an explosion.

“Fire was spreading through the living room and I and my friend quickly fled to safety. I regret very much I could not save the victims,” he said.

An inmate who wanted to be known only as Christine, 39, said she became aware of the fire when the security guard sounded the alarm.

“The security guard asked me to call the fire department. I could not render any assistance because the fire spread too fast,” she said.

Women, Family and Community Development Minister Rohani Abdul Karim, meanwhile, in a statement said that the home was not registered with the Social Welfare Department.

She said it would be in the best interests of such homes to do so.

- Bernama