Woman killed in early morning Air Itam house fire

Paya Terubong Fire and Rescue Station chief Muzamer Mohd Salleh said the charred remains of Choo Hooi Hong, in her 50s, was found by the firefighters on the ground floor of the first house that caught fire.

“We received a distress call about 2.10 am before a firefighting team from Paya Terubong Fire and Rescue Station went to the location and found raging flames engulfing two houses,” he said here today.

He said a Toyota Alphard car parked in the garage area of the house where the fire had started was destroyed and the fire was brought under control within half an hour preventing it from spreading to the adjacent house.

He said the fire was completely extinguished at 3.05 am. The house where the fire started was about 85 per cent damaged, while the other house about 75 per cent.

He said the woman's body was found on the ground floor of the badly-damaged house.

“A medical team who was also at the scene confirmed she was already dead and the remains were handed over to the police before being sent to Penang Hospital

He said the cause of the fire and the total loss incurred was still under investigation.