PENAMPANG: Four family members who died in a fire which destroyed their double-story terrace house in Taman Hungap, here, were believed trapped in the building when they could not open the padlock of the grille at the emergency exit window.

Sabah Fire and Rescue Department director Md Ali Ismail said the bodies of three members of the family were found near the window in a room upstairs, while the body of the other family member was found in a toilet nearby.

He said preliminary investigation found that the fire started on the ground floor of the house and the department was investigating to determine the cause of the fire.

"The four victims were believed aware of the fire, but were not able to escape because they could not open the padlock at the grille of the emergency window. In panic, they could have forgotten where the key to the padlock was," he told reporters after visiting the scene of the fire.

The victims were identified as Matthew Wong, 50, his wife Jecky Vun Kon Fung, 48, and their sons Brendan Wong, 18, and Eric Wong, 15.

According to the Sabah Fire and Rescue Department, the department was alerted of the fire at 2.52 am, following which a team of firefighters rushed to scene and managed to control the fire at 3.40 am. The fire-fighting operation ended at 6.10 am.

-- BERNAMA