KOTA BAHARU, Sept 3 — A man who followed a fire engine while returning home from Friday prayers, was shocked when the fire engine stopped in front of his house which was already on fire at Jalan Bayam flats.

Mohd Ramli Abd Rahman, 33, said at about 1.30pm he was returning home from Friday prayers and saw a fire engine heading into his housing area.

“Out of curiosity, I decided to follow the fire engine but did not realise it was going to stop in front of my house. As the fire engine stopped near my house, I saw smoke and fire from my house window,” he told reporters here today.

“I tried to go inside and salvage some belongings, especially personal documents but the fire was already at its peak.”

Meanwhile, Kota Baharu Fire and Rescue Department Senior Fire Officer Wan Asri Wan Yaacob said a distress call was received at 1.52pm and three fire engines with 18 officers were rushed to the site of the fire.

“When we arrived, the fire had already destroyed the house situated on the first floor of a five-storey flat,” he said.

Mohd Ramli said although all his belongings, including preparations for Hari Raya Aidilfitri was destroyed in the fire, nobody was injured in the fire because his wife and children were not in the house.  — Bernama