18 people including one-year-old baby survive fire involving two houses

Kedah Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) deputy director, Assistant Commissioner Syufaat Kamaron said JBPM received a distress call at 5.54 pm before firefighters from the Alor Setar and Jalan Raja fire and rescue stations were rushed to the location.

"Based on the information received, there were 18 victims consisting of adults, children and a baby in the two houses.

"Firefighters managed to rescue nine victims from the first house, which was 95 per cent destroyed. All the victims received initial treatment and were sent to Sultanah Bahiyah Hospital, Alor Setar for shortness of breath," he said in a statement last night.

He said the rescue team also removed two more victims from the second house, adding that seven more victims managed to escape.

"Four motorcycles were also destroyed in the fire. The operation ended at 8.15 pm," he added.