Man gives up life to rescue son from house blaze
KUALA TERENGGANU: A father’s love knows no bounds.
This was evident when an Umno branch member gave up his life to rescue his three-year- old son from a fire which broke out at their semi-detached house in Kuala Ibai near here yesterday.
Kuala Ibai Umno branch deputy chief Ahmad Fakhrurazi Shafie, 45, was found lying unconscious outside the house while his son, Muhammad Aqil Harith Ahmad Fakhrurazi - the youngest of four children – was sitting on his chest.
Subsequently, Ahmad Fakhrurazi was believed to have died of smoke inhalation.
His mother, Tengku Maznah Tengku Sulong, 73, who lives nearby said she was unaware of the fire which was said to have occurred about 8.30am.
“My son’s eldest nephew told me that Ahmad Fakhrurazi had fainted (during the fire) but when I arrived at the scene of the incident, he had already breathed his last.
“Earlier, Ahmad Fakhrurazi was seen clutching his youngest son to his chest while running out to safety before he fell on the ground and became unconscious (and subsequently died),” she told reporters at her home here.
It was learnt the Umno branch member was with Muhammad Aqil Harith at the time of the fire as his wife, Tengku Mastura Tengku Ahmad, 38, who is four months’ pregnant was on her way to work while the couple’s three other children were at school.
The victim’s eldest nephew, Ahmad Syahir Azizi Ahmad Zulfa, 18, said he was on his way to his workplace nearby when he spotted the fire but was under the impression someone was burning rubbish.
“I heard the sound of a window shattering and saw smoke when I got into the house where I work. I immediately rushed to the scene and saw the victim, who looked pale, lying unconscious with his son on top of him.
“I tried to revive him but to no avail. I was made to understand later that my uncle had died as soon as the medical team arrived,” he said.
Ahmad Fakhrurazi’s remains was buried at the Gong Pauh Muslim Cemetery late this afternoon. — Bernama