Tahfiz fire: Survivors escaped through broken windows

He was informed of the incident when preparing for Subuh prayers before rushing to the scene and finding that fire had spread rapidly on the third floor of the building.

"My son and his friends, who managed to break the windows, scrambled out and jumped onto the awning, causing it to break. They were helped by the people who were waiting at the basement of the building," he told reporters at the Kuala Lumpur Hospital (HKL) Emergency Ward today.

Sharifuddin, who is also a committee member of Surau Ittifaqah which is located near to the tahfiz centre, said his son, who is the third of four siblings, was currently being treated at HKL for burns on his back.

He added that the tahfiz centre, which was built following contributions from the surau, had been operating for only about a year.

Meanwhile, a 38-year-old cleaner who only wanted to be known as Maryani, called for prayers for her son Indera Kurniawan, 13, who is also among the survivors of the fire.

"My son was found unconscious and his face was black. I only pray that all will be well," she said.

Police reported that 21 tahfiz students and two teacher-wardens had died in the fire while seven were injured, come critically. -- BERNAMA