TUARAN: A mother who is recovering at the hospital after giving birth yesterday lost a son in a fire early this morning, while another son heroically tried to save his brother.
The charred remains of her four-year-old son, Joshua Frederick, were discovered by firefighters after putting out the fire at her house in Kampung Melisau Tenghilan, here.
A relative, Caroline Duliat, 39, when met at the hospital said the family was not prepared to tell the mother about what happened just yet.
She informed that at the time of the incident, there were six people in the house.
Joshua's six-year-old brother, Shafiq Frederick, who was on the upper floor, was the first to realise the house was on fire, Caroline said.
He immediately ran down to inform his family members.
"His legs and hands were burned while he was running down to wake everyone up. He then returned to the upper floor to check on his (younger) brother, but the fire was spreading fast that he had to jump out from a window," Caroline said, adding that three other family members, including the boys' father, survived the fire.
Meanwhile, the boys' 64-year-old grandmother, Mitah Diki, collapsed, believed to be due to high blood pressure.
Shafiq and Mitah are currently receiving treatment at the district hospital. Joshua's remains were also sent to the hospital.
District fire and rescue team spokesperson Abdul Qawie Abdul Gapar said the department received a distress call at 5.06am and deployed two fire engines and an Emergency Medical Rescue Service vehicle with 11 personnel to the scene.
"Upon arrival, the house was already 90 per cent destroyed and a resident was trapped. The team only found the charred remains of the boy shortly after putting out the blaze," he said.