Son could only hold mother's hand through balcony grilles as she perishes in fire

IPOH: A man has described how his younger brother tried to save their mother from a fire but was unable to pull her out of the house because metal grilles were blocking the way.

Raja Ikhwan Hadi Raja Ahmad, 47, said his younger brother, Raja Muhammad Shukri, 30, managed to reach their mother's hand and tried to pull her to safety but the grilles on the balcony prevented him from getting her out.

The fire claimed the lives of their parents, Zaitun Mohamed, 64 and Raja Ahmad Raja Ali, 70, as well as their nephew, Nik Abdurrahman Azimin Harith Helal, 18, in the two-storey terrace house on Persiaran Desa Tambun 4, Taman Desa Tambun here.

Raja Ikhwan, the eldest of five siblings, said he was asleep near the parking area when he heard his nephew shouting for help, followed by the sound of breaking glass at about 4am.