IPOH: The state government is ready to assist the families of six victims who perished in a fire at a two-storey shophouse in the Puncak Jelapang Maju industrial area here yesterday.
State Education, Technology, Science and Environment committee chairman Dr Abdul Aziz Bari said the post-mortem has started at 9am and expected to complete by noon.
“The state government will bear all the costs, including funeral, and other assistance will be handed to the families soon, and we will discuss about that.
“This is a tragedy. We are ready to help them since they are from poor families,” he said after visiting the victims’ families at Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital’s Forensic Unit here today.
It was reported yesterday that seven people were in the shop during the 2pm incident: P. Thigarajan, 40, owner of the business, his wife and five employees. Only the wife made it out alive.
Yesterday, state Criminal Investigation Department chief Senior Assistant Commissioner Yahya Abd Rahman said the bodies of the victims were too badly burnt to be identified as yet, adding that all six bodies were found on the upper level of the premises.
He said initial investigation revealed that the fire started on the upper level of the premises, adding that checks revealed that the premises was not licensed for storage of explosive materials.
Meanwhile, the families of the victims have gathered at the hospital as early as 7am to wait for the result of the post-mortem.
It is learnt that the funeral will take place at Kampung Pari Muslim Cemetery once the bodies are released and their remains will be buried in one grave.