3 grandchildren escape unharmed

Kuala Belait - A fire broke out on the first floor room of a house in Jalan Kerma Negara yesterday.

Following a distress call at 5.24pm, eight Fire and Rescue personnel with two fire trucks led by Station Commander ASFR Zulkeflee bin Awang Alimas rushed to the scene.

The fire was extinguished within 30 minutes.

Police were also at the scene, to carry out investigations.

It is understood that the two-storey house is occupied by 11 people. At the time of the incident, an elderly woman with her three grandchildren, were in the house.

As I was about to turn in from the junction to fetch my daughter, I saw an elderly woman rushing her grandchildren out of the burning house," said Salami Hj Jakuran who alerted the Belait Fire and Rescue personnel on the emergency.

The Fire and Rescue personnel believe that the cause of the fire was a short circuit from an air-con starter.

However, the cause has yet to be officially ascertained pending further investigations.