KUALA LUMPUR: A hearse, belonging to actress Noorkhiriah Mohd Shapie, went up in flames on Tuesday night.
When contacted, Khiriah, who is also the founder of the Nur Charitable Organisation, said that when the incident took place, she was not around as she was in Penang sending her child to boarding school.
"Based on the information that I received, the incident took place at around 9 pm.
"The van was parked in the housing area. But when the incident happened, I was in Penang as I had gone there to send my child to boarding school," Khiriah told Harian Metro.
Khiriah said she accepted what had happened as fate while also expressing sadness as the Hyundai Starex multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) that was converted into a hearse had served them well.
"Yes, I am very sad because the van served us well as a hearse. But behind every dark cloud, there must be a silver lining.
"That van was my first vehicle, and I had used it for quite some time before it was converted into a hearse five years ago.
"In a year, the van was used to transport about 100 bodies. Thankfully, there are two other vans that can be used," she said.
When asked if the incident could be a result of arson or sabotage, Khiriah said that she does not think of such things.
"It cannot be arson or a result of sabotage because the van is used only to transport bodies for burial.
"Perhaps, it is because of the current hot weather now or technical fault or damage because it has been for long, and perhaps this could have caused the incident to happen," she said.
There was critical damage especially in the engine bay, and Khiriah is determined to try to repair it if possible.
"There are friends, acquaintances who want to contribute funds because I want to address and repair the damage caused by the fire.
"But I said let the insurance company investigate first," she said.
The fire was brought under control with the cooperation and assistance from neighbours in the area, the Fire and Rescue Department, and the police.
The Nur charitable organisation by Khiriah provides free funeral management and transport services.