Boy hero dies trying to save sister

JOHOR BARU - Twelve-year-old Rohman Selamat was a hero for saving the lives of six of his family members, including his parents, when a fire broke out from their shophouse.

He then rushed in to save his 13-year-old sister Khusnulkhotimah.

However, both teenagers died in the incident at Ayer Baloi, Pontian, yesterday.

Their mother Hasniah Abdul Hussein, 50, said the family were awakened by Rohman's screams at 4.30am that a fire had broken out.

"The smoke was already quite thick, and all of us rushed out. That was when we realised that it was a huge fire," she said yesterday.

Hasniah then realised that her youngest son and daughter were missing. However, she and the other survivors, and neighbours couldn't do anything to save them due to the heat.

"I could only watch helplessly as the fire razed our house. Rohman loved his sister so much. They were quite close," she said.

Hasniah said a neighbour later told her that they saw Rohman asking for help from the second floor of the building.

The bodies of the two victims were buried at the Wakaf Besar Muslim cemetery here.

Eight shophouses were also destroyed in the fire.

Johor Fire and Rescue Department assistant director of operations Hamid Suari said 35 firemen and five fire-engines were sent to the scene after they received a distress call at around 4.40am. The cause of the fire was still being investigated.

Pontian deputy OCPD Deputy Supt Wan Razani Wan Ibrahim said that a man, Ng Kim Leong, 50, died of heart failure when witnessing the fire.